Context
Conceived and championed by Mathieu Dufour, then amplified by Lafleur, La Journée québécoise du steamé has celebrated one of Québec’s most iconic comfort foods, the steamed hot dog, for the past three years. In 2026, the brand set out to build on the event’s growing momentum by establishing it as a lasting tradition and a province-wide celebration embraced by Quebecers from coast to coast.
At a time when consumers are increasingly seeking meaningful connections and shared experiences, Lafleur entrusted Franchir with developing and executing an integrated campaign, in collaboration with Mathieu Dufour, designed to engage communities before and throughout the May 6 celebration.
Objectives
Position the return of La Journée québécoise du steamé within Québec’s cultural conversation while highlighting the involvement of Mathieu Dufour and Lafleur as the driving force behind the initiative.
Position La Journée québécoise du steamé as an accessible, inclusive occasion that brings Quebecers together to celebrate a fun, unpretentious shared moment.
Celebrate May 6 with Lafleur sausages as an iconic symbol of Québec popular culture, recognized for bringing people together and creating memorable shared moments.
Encourage media outlets, journalists, and content creators to generate content before and during La Journée québécoise du steamé, inspiring their audiences to choose Lafleur for their next purchase.
Gameplan
In November 2025, through a collaborative phase of research, analysis, and strategic workshops with Lafleur and Mathieu Dufour, the Franchir team set out to identify the unifying idea that could elevate the third edition of La Journée québécoise du steamé.
One insight quickly emerged: at a time when many Quebecers are seeking greater connection and more positive shared experiences, the steamed hot dog represents far more than just a meal. It serves as an excuse to gather with family, friends, or colleagues.
Building on this insight, Franchir developed an omnichannel strategy designed to transform La Journée québécoise du steamé into a true collective movement. By combining live experiences, media placements, and public relations, the campaign created multiple consumer touchpoints to generate excitement, fuel conversations, and encourage Quebecers to come together on May 6.
The campaign officially launched in early April with a media relations initiative announcing the return of La Journée québécoise du steamé. Themed media kits were then sent to journalists and content creators to spark organic conversations and inspire Quebecers to start planning their own celebrations.
The campaign also relied on the active involvement of Mathieu Dufour, the “founding father” of La Journée québécoise du steamé. From content creation to in-person appearances, his participation brought the spirit of May 6 to life and rallied his community around the celebration.
To keep La Journée québécoise du steamé top of mind and part of Quebecers’ everyday conversations throughout the campaign, Franchir also secured editorial partnerships with Narcity and Bell Media, complemented by an out-of-home advertising campaign with Pattison.
To encourage public participation, the province-wide Win Your Steamé Party contest invited Quebecers to nominate the most social and community-minded people in their lives. Winners received everything they needed to host their own steamé celebration, with a few even receiving a surprise video call or in-person visit from Mathieu Dufour during their event.
To extend engagement at retail, an in-store contest gave consumers the chance to win the ultimate steamé party kit, along with a grand prize of $5,000 courtesy of Lafleur.
On May 6, Lafleur’s now-iconic hot dog limousine hit the road, travelling across Québec to meet people where they were. This mobile activation created memorable, up-close moments with both the brand and Mathieu Dufour while generating highly shareable content.
To cap off the celebration, Lafleur hosted the exclusive Steamsound Party, welcoming more than one hundred members of the media, content creators, and special guests for an evening of celebration featuring DJ Montana. To extend the experience to the general public, a contest held in partnership with Noovo Moi offered fans the chance to attend as VIP guests. Mathieu Dufour hosted the event and brought the day full circle with the Official Bite at 6:05 p.m., a celebratory toast marking the success of what has become a province-wide tradition.
From the initial announcement through May 6, every initiative was designed to build anticipation for La Journée québécoise du steamé and inspire Quebecers to come together around this beloved local classic.
Faits saillants
- Seven months of planning and execution;
- Nearly 50 million media impressions generated across all campaign initiatives;
- Three contests launched simultaneously, resulting in more than 100 winners;
- A hot dog limousine that travelled over 300 kilometres across Québec;
- Six surprise visits to steamé parties alongside Lafleur and Mathieu Dufour;
- A signature exclusive celebration bringing together more than 100 guests from across the media, creator, and influencer communities;
- A collective movement that brought thousands of Quebecers together around a steamé on May 6.
Crédits
Client | Olymel (Lafleur)
Event, media and public relations | Franchir
Social Media | Cartier
Production design (Steamsound) | Madame Bombance
Lighting (Steamsound) | Pixxo
Video production | Félix Simard
Photographer | Nicolas Brassard
