2026 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

Across the globe, women’s sports are flourishing – shattering barriers and rewriting the rules of the game. Yet, Montreal remained behind the curve. The city lacked a professional women’s football team and provided minimal support for female athletes, forcing many to choose between leaving their hometown or giving up on their dreams.

This project set out to break that pattern with a design-led solution. “The Roses” identity became a beacon of change, blending innovative visual elements such as the symbolic blue rose and custom typography to inspire pride and ambition. By crafting a bold and meaningful brand experience, the launch redefined what women's football could represent in Montreal. This brand identity went beyond traditional branding – it ignited a cultural shift, fostering pride, passion, and renewed ambition for women’s sports.

No Professional Presence: Montreal lacked a professional women’s football team. Limited Support: Minimal infrastructure and public awareness for women’s football. Cultural Stagnation: An environment where women’s sports received little recognition or investment Montreal needed to capitalize on this cultural shift.

The city’s potential to support women’s football was clear, but what was missing was a symbol of hope and resilience for aspiring female athletes – something bigger than just a team, but a movement that could unite the community.

“The Roses” brand was crafted to be a cultural movement, not merely a sports team, representing resilience, pride, and ambition. The visual identity, including the blue rose and custom typography, reflected both strength and elegance, aligning with Montreal’s spirit and values.

As Roses, this identity embraces potent dualities: force and finesse, strength and beauty, resilience and elegance. At its heart stands the blue rose – a flower that does not exist in nature – making the impossible possible. Rooted in Montreal’s heritage, a custom typeface – drawing inspiration from the Farine Five Roses sign and thorny stems – shifts seamlessly between grace and power. Like a rose thriving against adversity, the roses transcend a simple sports identity and represent a transformative movement. By uniting the city’s past and future, they redefine women’s football in Montreal.

Within 24 hours of launch, Roses FC generated $16,000 in ticket and merchandise sales; to date, sales exceed $100,000 – before a single game. The reveal received 100% positive media coverage, accelerating awareness and credibility. Fifteen new investors have joined, fueling growth and talent acquisition.

The club retained top homegrown players and attracted marquee names, strengthening competitiveness and community roots. These outcomes establish a durable foundation for Roses FC to lead women’s football in Montreal.

Credits

Agencies: Cossette et GRDN
Production house: Septième
Client: Les Roses FC de Montréal

Chief Creative Officer, Cossette Est: Anne-Claude Chénier
Executive Creative Director: Richard Bélanger
Art Director, Design: David Théroux, Lionel Michée
Typography: Lionel Michée, David Théroux
Graphic and motion design: Nicolas Chamberland
Creative Direction (Naming, Copywriter): Olivier Fortin
Copywriter: Mélanie Delisle
Chief Strategy Officer, Cossette Est: Michel-Alex Lessard
Chief Strategy Officer: Judikaela Auffrédou
Director, Lead Strategy: Andréanne Lessard
Strategy: Anne-Sophie Vachon
President, Quebec and Eastern Canada: Louis Duchesne
Senior Vice President and General Manager, Cossette Digital:: Jean Hugo Filion
Vice President, Business Lead: Myriam Veilleux
Product: Miriam Bousquet
Digital Product: Marie-Michèle Coulombe, Alexandra Adénor, Gaïda Demotte, Jean-François Parent
Digital Creation: Sébastien Tremblay, Jonathan Pinard, Catherine Sabourin, Fannie Deschênes
Digital Strategy and Business Intelligence: Barbara Roque, Marina Sist, Eric Deslauriers, Aurélie Kuntz, Cédric Degallaix
Web Development: Stéphane Demotte

Strategic Design and Community Engagement: Sébastien Boulanger, Hugo Savoie, Daniel Ouellet, Anne-Marie Mercier, Angelo Destounis, Ketsia N’Kumbu (GRDN)

Consultant creative director: Jennifer Nagy Delli Fraine

Print Production:: Colette Dumay, Daniel Cartier
Typographic Production: Alexandre Saumier Demers, Lionel Michée
Content Production: Eva Martinez
Post-Production:: Nasim Mousavi, Frédérique Marseille, Océanne Langlois
Editing: Thomas Bellefleur, Delphine Legault, Isaac Baulne
Online Editing and Motion Design: Loïc Dubeau

Sound: Théo Porcet (Cult Nation)

Collaborators: Patrick Boivin, Amy Walsh, Nick De Santis, Junior Bombardier

Clients : Isabèle Chevalier, Jean-François Crevier, Annie Larouche, Nathalie Vachon