Canada-based marketing company VIBRANT intensifies its focus on creating sensory rich environments for their audiences after investing close to $17 million in the launch of its immersive experience division, VIBRANT Studios. The brand-new spin-off is already gearing up to present a series of large-scale productions in cultural hotspots in the fall, along with industrious plans to further their expansion over the next five years.

The newly formed Studios division will launch a series of events that represent a significant advancement in the entertainment industry for the company, says VIBRANT president and founder Eric Brouillet. The first event will take place in Toronto, with plans to launch at least three major immersive experiences for a brand that Brouillet describes as a significant player and an intellectual property (IP) at the level of Disney.

“It’s a well-known IP that’s been around in the gaming community for many years — very well respected and has a pretty impressive fan base already,” Brouillet tells Core Magazines by video, adding that the experience they’re building will be engaging to everyone.

VIBRANT has created marketing experiences for a long list of widely recognized brands like Carlsberg, Hasbro, BMW, and Keurig-Dr Pepper. They have a knack for crafting unique activations to engage audiences through memorable moments. They held an event to introduce No. 99 Craft Ice Storm Vodka and Double Oak Whiskey for Wayne Gretzky Estates, served Unshackled Wines to VIPs at Coachella, organized art-based fundraising events for La Factry school of creativity sciences, and entertained participants in an all-night laundromat on one occasion and played interactive tennis with machines at the Rogers Cup in another for National Bank.

The group also created a hybrid, at home and in-person, virtual driving simulation experience in a customized container at Stackt market in Toronto for BMW and Marvel fans to test drive the M4 Cabriolet, and to showcase the car, which was featured in the film Black Widow starring Scarlett Johansson.

From brand events, art installations, festivals, guerrilla activations, stunts like a giant suitcase full of acrobats for the relaunch of the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth, to a high-wire act 80 feet above The Old Port in Montreal, the creators say, “Yeah … we did that!”

Montreal and Toronto are key cities for design, production and touring

VIBRANT Studios is working on expansion plans, crafting new ways to use existing technology, and ramping up production. While words like “gaming” and “tour” are being used in relation to the upcoming events, finer details like client names and specific locations are being kept a closely guarded secret. Brouillet says, they’re “in building mode and prep mode,” and will announce details around August.

They are considering more experiences for presentation to audiences across a wider region. Brouillet says, “we have in the works around seven potential immersive experiences that we’re going to deploy across North America.”

After the launch of the Toronto experience, the production will spend three to five months in the city before making its way to different cities. The second experience will likely be in Montreal around October-November. 

The VIBRANT Studios division will be housed in Montreal, where VIBRANT’s production facility currently occupies a 10,000 sq. ft. production atelier. They are now crafting end-to-end immersive multimedia experiences, from ideation to design, and production of digital and physical assets. “We built our very own 3D design modular station where we’re able to map out all the participant paths,” says Brouillet, describing the technical work being done in the studio. 

They design and build their own sets, the installations, art or props that fit into a space, in the virtual or real world, then map out how people will move through the space and interact with the built environment — something they didn’t used to do before.

What is an immersive experience?

In an immersive experience you may be able to interact with props or actors in a physical or virtual space. The audience could feel like they are inside a virtual environment where they can touch objects and move about or view spatial effects and high-end holographic projections in the real world.

We know for sure that the setting for the Toronto experience will be mostly indoor. VIBRANT Studios is pairing up with shopping mall locations — big shopping malls. “The idea is that we could be a nice add-on to raise the experiential capital and the entertainment value of those locations,” says Brouillet.

It will consist of high-level movie grade set design in a 20,000 sq. ft. space. The experience will be supported by in-world types of pop-up boutiques and food and beverage offerings so that people will be able to hang out. The price point matches different levels of experiences ranging from standard to premium ($35-$50).

“We’re in the business of experience. We want to build stuff that people will feel happy about. We enjoy doing it,” explains Brouillet.

Impact of VIBRANT Studios venture over 5 years

Commercial marketing firm VIBRANT has had success in experiential marketing over the last two decades and is now intensifying its focus on immersive experiences through the newly launched brand. They’re developing in-house manufacturing capabilities to meet the needs of the new division and as a result they’re creating jobs.  

The company will be adding a crew of around 20-30 people dedicated to crafting experiences for the Studios division. Brouillet anticipates over 50 new positions across the country over five years. During that time, they expect to spend about $23 million with local suppliers and collaborators in cities where immersive experience productions will be presented.

The close to $17 million investment allows VIBRANT to continue its expansion, which is their first goal. Their second goal is to fully commit to creating cutting-edge experiential technology and immersive experiences through the dedicated team. 

Over the next five years, the funds will be used to create, produce, and finance immersive experiences and will likely triple the return on their initial investment. 

They are partnering with several organizations with roots in Quebec, including Zú, a Montreal-based technological incubator accelerator for creative industries. Zú is the brainchild of billionaire busker, space tourist and Cirque du Soliel founder Guy Laliberté.

Funds invested in the newly established division comes mostly from parent company, VIBRANT, the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Fonds de solidarité FTQ (Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec or the Quebec Federation of Labour).

The recent expansion, their high-profile clients, creative industry partners, backing from some very strong investors and high impact projects planned for the fall of 2024 will solidify the company’s position as a leader in the immersive experience space. 

by Cherryl Bird – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
X @ladycbird | Instagram @cherrylbird