2022 Winner
SilverBest in Branded Content
Niagara Falls Tourism
"Alessia Cara Live
from Niagara Falls"
Zerotrillion
"Alessia Cara Live
from Niagara Falls"
Zerotrillion
Live music has been a hallmark of Niagara Falls, Canada, since long before “Now That’s What I Call Music!” released Vol. 1. That was ’98, and it’s pretty much a steady stream of hit artists performing from the Falls since then. Until, you know, that global thing we’re all tired of talking about.
It’s spring of 2021, and live music had never been less alive at Niagara Falls. Rolling lockdowns, and a long-term event ban meant “live” was a thing of the past. And with ongoing reticence to congregate and concerns over safety, Niagara Falls Tourism was worried that even when things opened up, it wouldn’t be able to draw the crowds they used to, which was crucial for a destination that relies on tourism for economic stability.
Niagara Falls Tourism, the body that promotes the destination, wanted to keep the spirit alive, but what could it do? It decided to do something music related and broadcast it on Canadian television. One Ontario broadcaster had already offered them a 3 p.m. Sunday slot sure to earn 150,000 views, which seemed like pretty good reach for the times… or so it thought.
It came to the agency with an open brief aimed at music association and a not-so-ambitious benchmark of 150,000 views. The agency came back with something it never expected.
It saw this opportunity as something much, much bigger than a broadcast of a traditional, live concert. Here was a chance to use a less-than-capacity Niagara Falls as a sprawling musical venue to record a never-before-attempted and never-to-be-repeated musical-something. That “something” took months to arrange. And it was so worth it.
It pitched Alessia Cara, an Ontario native and 2018 Grammy winning Breakout Artist of the Year, to launch her new album from Niagara Falls, aligning her story of re-emergence with the
destination’s reopening.
Partnering with Alessia and her management team, it identified top-tier press opportunities and media placements that would magnify exposure and reach for Alessia and Niagara Falls and built a program around those opportunities that would culminate in an hour-long, made-for-TV special, featuring new music videos and new arrangements of Alessia’s greatest hits interwoven with intimate interviews. The program put Niagara Falls on the map, showcasing a region that some saw as tired and dusty, as an epicenter of culture.
They recorded tracks from the iconic boat at the Falls, on rooftops overlooking Clifton Hill, from a stage suspended just below the surface of a beautiful pond in Oakes Garden Theatre, and many more spots that have never looked so good.
It was an incredible amount of work for everyone involved. But working together paid off. What started as a broadcast opportunity became a month-long program with hit singles released on Stephen Colbert’s Late Night Show and MTV’s Fresh Out, an hour-long broadcast special on Rogers CityTV national prime time, and an online release on Alessia’s own YouTube Channel.
There was also exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and new song edits released on various social channels, including Stephen Colbert. Robust PR support saw the programming promoted by Etalk, Rolling Stone, 60 Minutes, The Toronto Star and many more.
All told, the content earned for Niagara Falls 240.7 million impressions, reaching 98 million households, gaining 61.7 million impressions in press coverage, knocking back 92.5 million social media impressions and amassing nearly a million direct online video views. It earned over $4 million in equivalent paid media value and reached far beyond local audiences, to the rest of Canada, the U.S., and
around the world.
The best result, though, wasn’t the numbers. It was that for untold numbers of people in Canada and across the border, Niagara Falls was once again synonymous with music. Online, countless fans commented that the connection between Alessia’s performances and Niagara Falls was perfect, and they couldn’t wait to visit once restrictions allowed. In a period where everything looked grey, it meant a lot to see the Falls all lit up once again.
It’s spring of 2021, and live music had never been less alive at Niagara Falls. Rolling lockdowns, and a long-term event ban meant “live” was a thing of the past. And with ongoing reticence to congregate and concerns over safety, Niagara Falls Tourism was worried that even when things opened up, it wouldn’t be able to draw the crowds they used to, which was crucial for a destination that relies on tourism for economic stability.
Niagara Falls Tourism, the body that promotes the destination, wanted to keep the spirit alive, but what could it do? It decided to do something music related and broadcast it on Canadian television. One Ontario broadcaster had already offered them a 3 p.m. Sunday slot sure to earn 150,000 views, which seemed like pretty good reach for the times… or so it thought.
It came to the agency with an open brief aimed at music association and a not-so-ambitious benchmark of 150,000 views. The agency came back with something it never expected.
It saw this opportunity as something much, much bigger than a broadcast of a traditional, live concert. Here was a chance to use a less-than-capacity Niagara Falls as a sprawling musical venue to record a never-before-attempted and never-to-be-repeated musical-something. That “something” took months to arrange. And it was so worth it.
It pitched Alessia Cara, an Ontario native and 2018 Grammy winning Breakout Artist of the Year, to launch her new album from Niagara Falls, aligning her story of re-emergence with the
destination’s reopening.
Partnering with Alessia and her management team, it identified top-tier press opportunities and media placements that would magnify exposure and reach for Alessia and Niagara Falls and built a program around those opportunities that would culminate in an hour-long, made-for-TV special, featuring new music videos and new arrangements of Alessia’s greatest hits interwoven with intimate interviews. The program put Niagara Falls on the map, showcasing a region that some saw as tired and dusty, as an epicenter of culture.
They recorded tracks from the iconic boat at the Falls, on rooftops overlooking Clifton Hill, from a stage suspended just below the surface of a beautiful pond in Oakes Garden Theatre, and many more spots that have never looked so good.
It was an incredible amount of work for everyone involved. But working together paid off. What started as a broadcast opportunity became a month-long program with hit singles released on Stephen Colbert’s Late Night Show and MTV’s Fresh Out, an hour-long broadcast special on Rogers CityTV national prime time, and an online release on Alessia’s own YouTube Channel.
There was also exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and new song edits released on various social channels, including Stephen Colbert. Robust PR support saw the programming promoted by Etalk, Rolling Stone, 60 Minutes, The Toronto Star and many more.
All told, the content earned for Niagara Falls 240.7 million impressions, reaching 98 million households, gaining 61.7 million impressions in press coverage, knocking back 92.5 million social media impressions and amassing nearly a million direct online video views. It earned over $4 million in equivalent paid media value and reached far beyond local audiences, to the rest of Canada, the U.S., and
around the world.
The best result, though, wasn’t the numbers. It was that for untold numbers of people in Canada and across the border, Niagara Falls was once again synonymous with music. Online, countless fans commented that the connection between Alessia’s performances and Niagara Falls was perfect, and they couldn’t wait to visit once restrictions allowed. In a period where everything looked grey, it meant a lot to see the Falls all lit up once again.
Credits
Alex Paquin – Chief Executive Officer, ZerotrillionAdam Fierman – Global Creative Director, Zerotrillion
Aubrey Podolsky – Executive Strategy Director, Zerotrillion
Elysia Ravencroft – Business Director , Zerotrillion
Jack Towers – Senior Designer, Zerotrillion
Teal Minisofer – PR & Communications Manager, Zerotrillion
Alex Paquin – Executive Producer, StudioTrillion
Simon Devenyi – Executive Producer, StudioTrillion
Lina Beaudin – Executive Producer, Nordest Studio
Adam Fierman – Screenwriter, StudioTrillion
anglicamilash – Director
angelicamilash – Screenwriter
Elysia Ravenscroft – Producer, StudioTrillion
Aubrey Podolsky – Associate Producer, StudioTrillion
Pierre Campbell – Production Manager
Lester Millado – Director of Photography
Dario Caracciolo – Behind the Scenes Cinematographer
Gabriel Shubat – Behind the Scenes Photographer
Anna Catley – Editor
Leah Lalich – Editor
Robin Reumers – Sound Designer (Music)
Dana Gadsden – Audio Producer, TA2 Sound + Music
Steve Gadsden – Sound Designer (Full Production), TA2 Sound + Music
Jane Garrah – Executive Producer, Alter Ego Post
Conor Fisher – Colourist, Alter Ego Post
Patrick Samaniego, Alter Ego Post