“Lights, camera, action” – this week advertising agency and the world of entertainment met to expand their existing partnership. Montreal-based agency Sid Lee and Cirque du Soleil are partnering on a new venture called Sid Lee Entertainment which was announced at the 2013 Cannes Lions festival. The new company will help create live experiential programs for brands, and has signed Absolut Vodka and Lolë, a women’s apparel company as their first clients.
In the coming months, Absolute will further branch out with live events targeted at specific marketings as one of the brand’s first projects with Sid Lee Entertainment.
“Behind Cirque du Soleil’s shows lies a fantastic team of production, logistics and touring experts who help us produce shows in over 260 cities,” said Daniel Lamarre, CEO of Cirque. “Through Sid Lee Entertainment, we wish to use this expertise to serve advertisers by creating new platforms specifically developed to bring their brand DNA to life,” he said.
“In a digitized society, we believe that real and magical entertainment experiences will have the most impact on the consumer,” said Bertrand Cesvet, Sid Lee’s Chairman.
Sid Lee Entertainment will be headed by Executive Producer Joanne Fillion, she was previously Cirque du Soleil’s Brand Director and Creative Director for images, events, and lifestyle. The new company has offices in New York, Montréal, Amsterdam, Paris and Toronto.
The Sid Lee and Cirque du Soleil relationship dates back to 2002 when there were hired as the marketing agency by Cirque, and then took a minority stake in the agency in February 2012. Sid Lee won the Absolute account back in 2012.