Montreal digital consultancy U92 has landed website re-design assignments for two major players in the province’s food and beverage alcohol industry: Sleeman Breweries’ specialty ales brand Unibroue, and the charcuterie company Fantino & Mondello.
Food and drink is among the key competencies for the 15-year-old company, which also counts Danone, Saputo, California-based online wine retailer J.J. Buckley Fine Wines and Ultima Foods’ Iögo yogurt brand among its clients.
Jean-Michel Ghoussoub, U92’s vice-president, director of client services, told Marketing the agency landed the Fantino & Mondello assignment through a referral from another client, and the Unibroue assignment as part of a formal review.
U92 already had ties with Unibroue parent Sleeman, having previously worked on a website redesign for its Pabst Blue Ribbon brand. Ghoussoub described it as the type of assignment that agencies lust for – a well-respected brand with ties to local folklore and culture.
Each brand in the Unibroue portfolio reflects Quebec history or legend, which will be woven throughout the website. “We are going to illustrate that in a very special way, with every beer having its own universe,” said Ghoussoub, noting that the site will also reflect the brand work being done by Montreal’s LG2.
The Fantino & Mondello website, meanwhile, will be heavily lifestyle focused, emphasizing how users can incorporate the brand into their lives rather than featuring standard product shots.
Ghoussoub said work on the Fantino & Mondello site would be complete by the fall, while Unibroue would be complete by the end of the year. “They will be a bit different from what we’re used to seeing in the food industry,” said Ghoussoub. “They will be more lifestyle focused.”
Ghoussoub said U92’s involvement in the Quebec holding company Groupe Police, which was established late last year with a mandate to serve and protect the province’s independent agencies, has been instrumental in the company’s recent string of account wins.
“[Groupe Police] creates synergy between the various companies and provides [administrative services], giving us more time to focus on business development and creating outstanding work,” said Ghoussoub. “It’s made a big difference for us.”
Groupe Police is currently comprised of Bleublancrouge, U92, the think-tank L’Institut Idée, the entertainment company Alice & Smith and production firm X3 production.
“Being part of a larger entrepreneurial group…increases access to relationships, opportunities, knowledge, expertise and a big dose of courage. It emboldens them,” said Jean-Sébastien Monty, senior partner at Bleublancrouge and Groupe Police president.
“It’s like being part of an all-star team – you automatically up your game because you feel like you’re part of something bigger. The brotherhood and sisterhood that is created increases the attractiveness of each player, which creates the magic formula for growth.”
While website design and mobile development accounts for approximately 70% of U92’s revenues, the company has continued to grow its consulting business in recent years.
“We’re happy with the ratio, but clients are asking for more and more consulting,” said Ghoussoub. “Development work is becoming more and more of a commodity, with other agencies both here and abroad that can do it very cheaply.”
