FCB Montreal to launch Weight Watchers campaign

In Canada the weight-loss brand has typically run adapted work from the U.S. featuring American spokespersons such as Jennifer Hudson, said Michael Watier, vice-president of client services for FCB Montreal. FCB is in charge of creating an original campaign for Canada, much as it did for Quebec in 2013. The agency gathered data about the Quebec audience that revealed key insights about a market that puts enjoyment of food high on its list of values.“We saw the market take off in terms of response and awareness,” he said. “Quebeckers have this very different attitude to food than anyone else in the world.”

FCB now has key research on the Canadian market it hopes will resonate nationwide. For instance, Canadians don’t want diets to get in the way of connecting with friends and family.

“We did a lot of research on how Canadians view food and what’s important to them, what restrictions they don’t like when it comes to these kinds of programs,” he said. “A lot of it is about sociability. People live together more and more these days and we don’t want to feel restricted in not taking invitations to dinner, not going out with friends just because you can’t eat the food. We understand that you can’t just live in a vacuum for three months. It’s about making sure we fit into your life.”

Watier couldn’t give details around the creative, but said it would be “something very different for Weight Watchers.”

He did say, however, that the campaign would target Canadians of all ages, including a younger demographic. “There are a lot of younger people out there who are struggling with their weight,” said Watier. “We want to make them understand this isn’t your mother’s Weight Watchers.”