Fair to say governments struggle to engage Gen Z in any advice they want to give them. Australia has some woeful attempts.
Cossette Quebec seems to have found the answer – an ‘80s fitness star, Nancy Choquette, and her supposedly legendary VHS workout series, Cardio Mental Tonique Wow.
The campaign was developed with co-creator, project manager M361, that specialises in the developing, producing & optimising government programs, and the Government of Quebec. It supports M361’s La Lancée initiative to get young women 18-24 moving. The initiative responds to an era of growing mental health concerns by framing physical activity solely as a simple and accessible tool for coping with emotionally challenging situations, including breakups, transitions and loneliness.
“After vanishing into oblivion for four decades, Nancy makes a comeback—complete with her flashy leotard, over-the-top positivity, and a DVD to promote. Clueless about modern social media, she posts awkwardly on TikTok and Instagram, sparking both confusion and fascination. The result? A viral phenomenon,” noted Cossette in the campaign blog.
The “phenomenon” is significant – over 3 million organic views, a growing fanbase around Nancy, significant breakthrough in traditional media coverage, collabs with influencers and content creators such as Citron Rose, Un potin avec ça?, and Maire de Laval, strong intersectoral contribution involving over 40 active partners and provincial ministries, and upcoming collaborations with women’s sports teams, federations, and educational institutions, as well as additional community partners and social services organisations that may join.
The content lives primarily on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube and is rich in storytelling detail to build a world Gen Z wants to explore. There’s Nancy’s Gen Z nephew; her washed-up ex, Robert; and a stream of nostalgic VHS aesthetics, for example.
“The strength of this strategy lies in the rich narrative world we built around Nancy,” stated Nadine El-Whidi, copywriter at Cossette, in the blog. “Her boomer energy, her outdated references, her Gen Z nephew, even her ex, Robert—all of it made her feel real. People didn’t just follow a campaign. They entered a universe.”
“We didn’t want to come off as preachy. Nancy lets us be playful, while still validating what young people are going through,” added Louis Rodrigue, project lead at M361.
Credits:
Creative Agency: Cossette Quebec
Creative Director: Richard Rochette-Villeneuve
Copywriters: Nadine El-Whidi & Alex Nolet
Art Directors: Stephany Martel-Rousseau & Nicolas Baillargeon
Art Directors: Éric Charron & Rosalie Lacroix
Strategists: Anne-Sophie Vachon & Nadine El-Whidi
Community Managers: Nadine El-Whidi & Pierre-Antoine Brochu
Account Managers: Louiza Aider,Pierre-Antoine Lavoie & Léa Breton
Media Buyers: Amélie Lemieux & Ann-Sophie Montembeault
Production Company: Septième
Executive Producer: Frédérick Quintal
Line Producer: Erika-Elyzabeth Korzer
Producer: Mélissa Audette
Coordinators: Perrine Pelini & Laurence Paquet
Director: Alex Nolet
Director of Photography: Alex Nolet
Post Producer: Frédérique Marseille
Motion Designer: Alex Lefebvre
Editors: Félix Nault-Laberge & Isaac Baulne
Sound: David Senécal
Post-Production & VFX: Septième
Colourist: Thomas D’Auteuil
Sound & Music: Studios Octave
Music: Fares Massad
