2025 Winner
BronzeBest in Audio Platforms
Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation
"April's Fools"
Cossette Media
"April's Fools"
Cossette Media
The holiday season is competitive for foundations, but with a limited media budget, they chose not to fight for attention and created their own moment.
Enter April Fool’s Day: a playful, widely celebrated, yet untapped occasion in Quebec. Perfectly aligned with the foundation’s creative platform “Long Live Little Brats”, April 1st became a joyful tribute to healthy mischief and a powerful reminder of their mission: giving every child the chance to be a “little brat.”
With a bold idea and modest budget, they handed the mic to their young patients and let them do what they do best — prank. Drawing from the universal childhood instinct to change the lyrics of familiar songs, their pranksters hijacked Quebec’s most iconic advertising jingles, rewriting them in their own mischievous way.
These beloved jingles are cultural touchstones, passed down through generations — making them the perfect playground for disruption. On April 1st, our young rebels playfully took over major radio stations, reimagining classics like Barbie’s Resto Bar Grill and Clan Panneton, and igniting a province-wide moment rooted in nostalgia and joy.
The result? A campaign that wasn’t just heard — it was felt. A disruptive, emotional, and culturally resonant media stunt that celebrated childhood in the most memorable way.
Radio was the cornerstone of this campaign, playing a pivotal role in its success. With just $34,950, they couldn’t buy their way into consumers’ hearts and wallets. So, the agency turned to media partners and generous advertisers who could.
The campaign kicked off with a bold and mischievous stunt: their little brats hijacked Montreal’s top radio stations, playfully reinventing classic jingles. Instead of regular ads, listeners heard their pranksters’ cheeky rewrites of iconic spots. To maximize reach, these aired on top-rated shows, ensuring their playful disruption was impossible to ignore — cementing it as one of the most engaging April Fools’ activations of the year.
The young rebels infiltrated digital publishers, making their playful rebellion inescapable. They even seized control of all the Children’s Foundation’s owned platforms, making the campaign fully immersive.
Social media supercharged the movement, featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the radio hijacking and turning April 1st into a full-fledged, multi-channel experience. Every activation was strategically pushed online, keeping the momentum alive all weekend long.
For the first time in Quebec’s philanthropic landscape, a foundation playfully hijacked the province’s most iconic advertising jingles — reimagined and performed by young patients themselves. This unprecedented approach transformed beloved, culturally embedded audio assets into a mischievous and impactful act of storytelling. It wasn’t “innovation for innovation’s sake,” but a clever reinvention of traditional radio as a platform for social impact. By orchestrating a coordinated radio takeover, amplified across digital publishers, social media, and owned platforms, we created a fully immersive, cross-channel media moment. This bold execution proved that even with a modest budget, it’s possible to challenge conventions and deliver a powerful, emotional message that resonates far and wide.
The campaign was designed with three clear objectives: increase awareness, drive engagement, and ultimately boost donations. The results exceeded all expectations.
The “April Fools” campaign dominated the Greater Montreal media landscape, becoming the talk of the town. Covered by all major news outlets, it generated an astounding 89 million impressions in just one day — in a market of only 2 million people. With a budget of just $34,950, they achieved 3,000% more visibility than paid media alone could deliver. That’s what they call punching above their weight!
Website traffic skyrocketed by 170% compared to the previous month, proving that the campaign deeply resonated with the brand’s audience.
The true measure of success — donations surged. The number of contributions increased by 36%, while total donation revenue soared by 94% month-over-month. A powerful testament to how an innovative, culture-driven approach can drive real impact.
This wasn’t just a campaign — it was a movement. A playful, disruptive, and deeply emotional activation that turned laughter into lasting change for children across Quebec.
Enter April Fool’s Day: a playful, widely celebrated, yet untapped occasion in Quebec. Perfectly aligned with the foundation’s creative platform “Long Live Little Brats”, April 1st became a joyful tribute to healthy mischief and a powerful reminder of their mission: giving every child the chance to be a “little brat.”
With a bold idea and modest budget, they handed the mic to their young patients and let them do what they do best — prank. Drawing from the universal childhood instinct to change the lyrics of familiar songs, their pranksters hijacked Quebec’s most iconic advertising jingles, rewriting them in their own mischievous way.
These beloved jingles are cultural touchstones, passed down through generations — making them the perfect playground for disruption. On April 1st, our young rebels playfully took over major radio stations, reimagining classics like Barbie’s Resto Bar Grill and Clan Panneton, and igniting a province-wide moment rooted in nostalgia and joy.
The result? A campaign that wasn’t just heard — it was felt. A disruptive, emotional, and culturally resonant media stunt that celebrated childhood in the most memorable way.
Radio was the cornerstone of this campaign, playing a pivotal role in its success. With just $34,950, they couldn’t buy their way into consumers’ hearts and wallets. So, the agency turned to media partners and generous advertisers who could.
The campaign kicked off with a bold and mischievous stunt: their little brats hijacked Montreal’s top radio stations, playfully reinventing classic jingles. Instead of regular ads, listeners heard their pranksters’ cheeky rewrites of iconic spots. To maximize reach, these aired on top-rated shows, ensuring their playful disruption was impossible to ignore — cementing it as one of the most engaging April Fools’ activations of the year.
The young rebels infiltrated digital publishers, making their playful rebellion inescapable. They even seized control of all the Children’s Foundation’s owned platforms, making the campaign fully immersive.
Social media supercharged the movement, featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the radio hijacking and turning April 1st into a full-fledged, multi-channel experience. Every activation was strategically pushed online, keeping the momentum alive all weekend long.
For the first time in Quebec’s philanthropic landscape, a foundation playfully hijacked the province’s most iconic advertising jingles — reimagined and performed by young patients themselves. This unprecedented approach transformed beloved, culturally embedded audio assets into a mischievous and impactful act of storytelling. It wasn’t “innovation for innovation’s sake,” but a clever reinvention of traditional radio as a platform for social impact. By orchestrating a coordinated radio takeover, amplified across digital publishers, social media, and owned platforms, we created a fully immersive, cross-channel media moment. This bold execution proved that even with a modest budget, it’s possible to challenge conventions and deliver a powerful, emotional message that resonates far and wide.
The campaign was designed with three clear objectives: increase awareness, drive engagement, and ultimately boost donations. The results exceeded all expectations.
The “April Fools” campaign dominated the Greater Montreal media landscape, becoming the talk of the town. Covered by all major news outlets, it generated an astounding 89 million impressions in just one day — in a market of only 2 million people. With a budget of just $34,950, they achieved 3,000% more visibility than paid media alone could deliver. That’s what they call punching above their weight!
Website traffic skyrocketed by 170% compared to the previous month, proving that the campaign deeply resonated with the brand’s audience.
The true measure of success — donations surged. The number of contributions increased by 36%, while total donation revenue soared by 94% month-over-month. A powerful testament to how an innovative, culture-driven approach can drive real impact.
This wasn’t just a campaign — it was a movement. A playful, disruptive, and deeply emotional activation that turned laughter into lasting change for children across Quebec.
Credits
Media Agency: Cossette MediaCreative Agency: Cossette
Production Agency: Septième
Media Partners: Bell, Québecor, Cogeco
Media Director: Maude LaRue
Media Planner: Alexia Dufort-Lévesque
Activation Director: Élodie Dubrulle
Digital Activation: Loïck Le Corvec
Creative Director: Patrick Michaud
Artistic Director: Marc-Antoine Vallée
Copywriter: Raphaël Côté
Chief Strategy Officer: Michel-Alex Lessard
Product: Katherine Leftakis
PRESIDENT OF THE FOUNDATION: Renée Vézina
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING: Kim Fraser