Sylvestre was born a marketing research firm in 1972. Raised out of Montreal, our pursuit of consumer knowledge and passion for cultural insights have always pushed us and our clients forward.

Cultivating our curiosity out of respect for our heritage for the past 45 years, we have grown into an award-winning qualitative marketing research agency with
global reach.

Our Approach

True comprehension is the ability to share knowledge simply.

Gain a deep understanding of the research need through collaboration and client partnership.

Create multiple touchpoints to customize each research opportunity to build human-scale connections.

Apply creativity, critical thinking and cultural insights to truly comprehend and turn the research learning into meaningful understanding.

Ways to Engage

Culture and context are at the heart of each and every one of our methodologies.

Collaborative
Ideation

Ispiration
Boards

Corporate
Diagnostics

Semiotics

Segmentation
Profiling

Journey
Mapping

Brand
Building

Consumer
Journaling

Immersive
Ethnographies

Bulletin Board
Focus Groups

Live Focus
Groups

Concept
Refinement

The combinations and permutations are endless.

We tailor our approach to your specific objectives.

Results of Context-
ualization

Results of Contextualization

Debrief
Workshops

Immersive
Debriefs

Video
Reporting

Two Solitudes
Workshops

Consumer Narratives

The narrative is most meaningful when told
truthfully and without boundaries.

Sylvestre’s Roots

Sylvestre was founded with cultural insights in mind. In the early 70’s…

Engaging with Millenials

Understand why Pepsi is such a staple in Quebec and how the new Millenial generation…

Humour vs. Humor

What’s funny in one culture may not be so funny in another…

Moments of Fun

Create a strategy that addressed the need to understand if the two distinct…

Two Solitudes

It is no secret that Quebeckers are different from their Ontarian neighbours…

Millenial Women

At Sylvestre & Co., we take pride in our expertise as cultural interpreters…

Our Team of Truth Seekers

Our expertise is the sum of our individual experiences.

Isabelle Landreville, M.Sc.
President & Chief Insight Seeker

Julie Sylvestre, CMRP
Chief Insight Seeker & Strategist

Kathleen Jackson
Insight Seeker & Strategist

Nathalie Piché
Project Manager

Yanick Archambault
Insight Seeker & Strategist

Jordan Brown
Resident Storyteller

Brendan Quinn
Insight Seeker & Strategist

Montreal

2090, de la Montagne Street, suite 200
Montreal, QC H3G 1Z7
Telephone: 514-284-0878
info@sylvestreco.com

Toronto

140, Yonge Street, suite 200
Toronto, ON M5C 1X6
Telephone: 416-860-5620
info@sylvestreco.com

HOME
OUR APPROACH
CONSUMER NARRATIVES
OUR TEAM
CONTACT

Collaborative Ideation

New ideas? New product designs? Let’s sit down with your target consumers and have them experience your concepts and products first hand. Our Kitchen Parties, Creation Workshops and Prototyping Stations allow consumers to interact with your ideas directly.

Inspiration Boards

Let’s venture into the unknown. Using techniques that are designed to dive deeper into whitespace, we can discover consumer-insight driven business opportunities for you to leverage.

Corporate Diagnostics

Consumers aren’t the only research targets! Looking to dive deeper into your corporate culture? Want to hear from your employees directly? Gain insights from within your company to better inform corporate strategy.

Semiotics

Dive deeper than the definition. Using our semiotic analysis techniques, gain knowledge of the true meaning of symbols, words and images that are related to your company.

We also use them them to enrich projective techniques & consumer interactions to go beyond rationalization.

Segmentation Profiling

Who are your consumers? What makes them tick? Find out more about your consumers as individuals in order to better cater to them. Dive deeper than statistics to get a more holistic picture and relate to your consumers on a human-scale.

Journey Mapping

Want to get a better sense of what your consumers experience when they interact with your company? By gaining consumer perceptions, we can identify touchpoints, pain points, delights and opportunities to build a full map of your consumers’ journey.

Brand Building

Are you wondering how your key target consumers perceive your brand? Has this changed over time? Our qualitative brand building solutions are designed to paint a vivid picture of your brand and your competitive positioning.

Consumer Journaling

Have you ever wanted to walk a mile in your consumers’ shoes? With our online Consumer Journaling, you can make this a reality. Follow the day-to-day activities of your consumers to be able to gain a deeper understanding of them and build empathy.

Immersive Ethnographies

It’s one thing to hear from your consumers, but to actually immerse yourselves in their environment is another. Our Immersive Ethnographies dig deep with consumers and allow our clients to see how their key consumers live. By diving deeper, we can create true empathy between our clients and their consumers.

Bulletin Board Focus Groups

Understand your consumers’ current perceptions, attitudes and behaviour as they share opinions, pictures and videos in an asynchronous online discussion from the comfort of their home. Let your consumers share more openly and candidly than ever before.

Live Focus Groups

Witness consumers first reaction and collect spontaneous comments and impressions in a group setting conducted in a traditional focus group facility. Our signature moderating style ensures a dynamic, engaging conversation as our goal is to build empathy with our respondents.

Concept Refinement

Go beyond a ranking with our Concept Refinement techniques. After or before a quantitative study, we can go beyond consumer preferences to rationalize strategic implications and directions. We find out what makes a winner, “the” winner and what can be learned from what did not work.

Debrief Workshops

Let’s roll up our sleeves and dive into strategic research implications. With our Debrief Workshops, we work with your team in order to collaboratively bring further meaning to the research findings and find true meaningful understanding.

Immersive Debriefs

Who better to tell consumer stories than the consumers themselves! Our Immersive Debriefs help your team build empathy with their research targets by meeting star respondents face-to-face as we share the research results.

Video Reporting

Our global film team captures moments with respondents to help bring the research results to life for you and your team, whatever the language. We go beyond summaries to provide video content that truly tells a cohesive story and highlights the insights.

Two Solitudes Workshops

Context is everything. Since 1972, Sylvestre & Co. has been exploring the cultural nuances that exist in Quebec and the rest of Canada in order to help our clients get a better sense of each market. We continuously build our knowledge base and share this with our clients in the forms of workshops and whitepapers. Our understanding of context and these Two Solitudes and filters into everything we do.

We are truly bi-cultural and bi-lingual.

Sylvestre’s Roots

Sylvestre was founded with cultural insights in mind. In the early 70’s, there was a gap in true meaningful understanding of the marketplace that was blocking companies from achieving “normal success” in Quebec. We were born out of the need to bridge that gap. We continue to strive to truly understand client needs and to seek the most simple and honest ways to link customers and suppliers.

“I started a consulting firm because I had 20 years of marketing experience on top of 19 years of schooling. Luck made me start offering my services at the right time to the right people on the right side of research for me. But it is my LOVE of addressing marketing challenges through privileged contacts with both clients and consumers that explains the continuous growth of the firm even under a third generation.” – Robert Sylvestre, Founder of Sylvestre & Co.

Engaging Millennials

Sylvestre & Co. won MRIA’s Best-In-Class award for a project conducted with PepsiCo with the objective of better understanding how to connect with Millennials. Connecting, engaging and empathizing with Millennials revealed that their mindset is rooted in two parts: the “WHY” and the “HOW”. While communication channels and consumption habits may evolve, life stages and human insights are often the same; therefore motives and need-states can build bridges between generations. Often, the “How?” is the focus of Millennial research because of the new ways they fulfill needs, but the “Why?” gives context to their mindset. Through a delicate balance of the “How?” and the “Why?”, contextualizing Millennials as a generation and understanding their mindset becomes easier. With Millennials, never let the “How?” overshadow the “Why?”.

Scope

Understand why Pepsi is such a staple in Quebec and how the new Millennial generation perceived the brand.

Engage

We used a multitude of social media–based methodologies and interacted with Millennials where they are most comfortable sharing – on Facebook, blogs, and bulletin board focus groups – asking respondents to share videos and photos.

Contextualize

With help from our in-house videographer, we were then able to deliver our findings in an interactive multimedia research report, to demystify intergenerational perspectives and to bring our specialty to life.

Susciter l'engagement des milléniaux

Sylvestre & Co. a remporté le prix d’excellence de l’ARIM en 2011 pour son projet mené en collaboration avec PepsiCo qui visait à mieux comprendre la façon de créer des liens avec les milléniaux.

En ouvrant la discussion avec les répondants, en suscitant leur engagement et en faisant preuve d’empathie envers eux, nous avons compris que leur mentalité repose sur deux principes : le « POURQUOI » et le « COMMENT ».

Bien que les méthodes de communication et les habitudes de consommation évoluent, le development et la dimension humaine reste les mêmes; il est donc possible d’établir des ponts entre les motifs et les besoins des générations.

Cherchant à combler leurs besoins, les milléniaux sont souvent axées sur le « Comment? ». Toutefois, c’est le « Pourquoi? » qui nous donne un meilleur aperçu de leur façon de penser. En établissant un juste équilibre entre ces deux questions et en s’imprégnant de la réalité de cette génération, il devient plus facile de comprendre leur façon de penser. Avec les milléniaux, il ne faut jamais laisser le « Comment? » prendre le dessus sur le « Pourquoi? ».

Cerner

Expliquer les raisons des performances uniques de la marque Pepsi au Québec et comprendre la perception des milléniaux.

Engager

Utilisant plusieurs méthodologies axées sur les médias sociaux, nous avons interagi avec les milléniaux sur les sites où ils sont plus enclins à partager leur expérience, comme Facebook, les blogues et les groupes de discussion, en leur demandant de partager des vidéos et des photos.

Contextualiser

Avec l’aide de notre vidéographe, nous avons présenté nos découvertes dans un rapport de recherche multimédia interactif et avons pu démontrer notre expertise en démystifiant les différences intergénérationnelles.

Moments of Fun

It’s been said that the best way to truly understand and empathize with someone is to take a walk in their shoes. In ”Moments of Fun”, our client was able to live life with their consumer through longitudinal Consumer Journaling. Respondents were given an iPod Touch and asked to record themselves and moments throughout the day. This combination of technology and ethnography provided results that allowed our client to truly understand how to best communicate with their consumer and create “moments” that were sure to engage.

Scope

Create a strategy that addressed the need to understand if the two distinct target consumer profiles are materially distinct so consideration could be given to local market executions.

Engage

Capture consumers “in the moment” in a cost effective way, through longitudinal self-ethnography through our Bulletin Board Focus Group methodology.

Contextualize

Deep dive in what drove a true moment of fun for each target consumer profile and paint a clear picture of what our client’s brand meant to them in these moments.

Moments de plaisir

La meilleure façon de connaître et comprendre une personne est de faire preuve d’empathie et se mettre à sa place. Pour «moments de plaisir», notre client a été en mesure de s’immerser dans la réalité de ses consommateurs grâce à l’auto-ethnographie longitudinale.

Nous avons remis des iPod Touch aux répondants afin qu’ils enregistrent les moments marquants qu’ils vivaient au cours d’une journée. Cette combinaison de la technologie et d’ethnographie a permis à notre client de réellement comprendre la meilleure façon de communiquer avec ses consommateurs et de créer des moments significatifs.

Cerner

Élaborer une stratégie afin de comprendre si deux profils de consommateurs distincts requièrent la mise en œuvre de stratégies ciblées.

Engager

Capturer la réalité des consommateurs à peu de frais par le biais de l’auto-ethnographie grâce à l’immersion électronique.

Contextualiser

Examiner en profondeur les facteurs qui génèrent un véritable moment de plaisir pour chaque profil du consommateur cible et établir un portrait clair du rôle de la marque dans ces moments.

Atelier «Deux solitudes»

Depuis 1972, Sylvestre explore et vulgariser les nuances culturelles qui existent entre le Quebec et le reste du Canada en vue d’inspirer les actions gagnantes dans les marchés respectifs.

Nous partageons nos connaissances cumulées au cours des ans sous forme d’ateliers et de présentation. Notre réelle compréhension du contexte et de ces deux solitudes est à la base de chacun de nos projets.

Nous sommes à la fois billingues et bi-cuturels.

Millenial Women & Personnal Care

At Sylvestre & Co., we take pride in our expertise as cultural interpreters with the primary goals of better understanding cultural nuances and translating one culture into another. With this project, our client needed to better understand Millennial women’s attitudes and behaviours towards personal care and beauty care in order to better succeed in Quebec. Through a combination of Immersive Ethnographies and Consumer Journaling in Ontario and Quebec, we transcended the Two Solitudes, highlighted cultural differences, and ensured that nothing got lost in translation. This allowed our client to adjust strategies to better serve both markets.

Scope

Develop a stronger understanding of the attitudes and behaviours of Millennial women in order to better succeed in Quebec.

Engage

Experience the research firsthand by walking through women’s full morning routines, through Consumer Journaling to complement Live Focus Groups.

Contextualize

Differences between Quebec and Ontario Millennial women were highlighted, allowing our client to adjust strategies to better serve both markets and have a positive impact on financials.

Milléniaux, soins de beauté et cosmétiques

Chez Sylvestre & Co., nous tirons notre fierté de notre expertise en tant qu’interprètes de la culture. Notre objectif premier est de mieux comprendre ces nuances culturelles et de les transposer d’une culture à une autre.

Dans le cadre de ce projet, notre client souhaitait mieux comprendre l’attitude des femmes envers les produits de beauté et des soins personnels afin de mieux percer le marché du Québec.

Grâce à une combinaison d’études ethnographiques internes et d’études auto-ethnographiques en Ontario et au Québec, nous avons explorer ces “deux solitudes” et souligné les différences culturelles. Le tout en nous assurant qu’aucun élément ne nous échappe en cours de route. Ultimement, ce projet a permis à notre client d’adapter ses stratégies pour mieux servir les deux marchés.

Cerner

Développer une meilleure compréhension des attitudes et des comportements des milléniaux avec la catégorie afin de mieux adapter son offre au Québec.

Engager

Examiner la routine personnelle complète des répondantes et utiliser l’ethnographie afin d’avoir une expérience concrète sur le terrain.

Contextualiser

Déterminer les différences chez les répondantes entre le Québec et l’Ontario afin de permettre au client de cibler ses stratégies à ces deux marchés distinct et améliorer ses performances financières.

Isabelle Landreville, M.Sc

President & Chief Insight Seeker

My team is what drives me and keeps me moving forward! It is a marvellous thing to see all of us come together in our own very special, magical way to bring it together for our clients. We unite in building empathy. Having, showing and building consumer empathy is our privilege, honour, passion and reason for being. “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye”. We care, I care, let us show you!

Julie Sylvestre, CMRP

Chief Insight Seeker & Strategist

It has been written that happiness is the key to success. I would agree because I do not work for a living. I have the pleasure of listening to people, sharing slices of their world and then wrapping it all up in great stories that lead to successful decisions. Passion for qualitative research is my guiding force.

Kathleen Jackson

Insight Seeker & Strategist

As a consummate extrovert, I thrive in the company of others. Whether immersing myself with consumers, collaborating with clients or colleagues, I am in my element. There is power in great teams, and I love to be part of my clients’ successes. “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championship.” – Michael Jordan

Nathalie Piché

Project Manager

My secret to happiness: a smile! I know to start every day with a positive frame of mind, and a smile because I know the rest will just flow from there. Taking care of my team and our clients, making sure everything runs smoothly from behind the scenes so they can, themselves, smile. That is happiness to me…

Yanick Archambault

Insight Seeker & Strategist

Someone once told me that my instincts are my biggest strength. Since then, I have come to trust my judgment and now go through life with the empowering confidence that I can have faith in myself. A problem? A difficult situation? An unknown? NEVER. It’s always about getting a feel for it, building intuition through strategic qualitative research.

Jordan Brown

Resident Storyteller

I am the team’s relator, no matter who I’m surrounded by, I just can’t help myself… I reach out and get to know them. Interesting people, thoughts and opinions can be found anywhere and everywhere. I strive to tell real stories and to bring them to life.

Brendan Quinn

Insight Seeker & Strategist

I once found myself in a shopping centre in Germany wondering what the items on the shelves signified about their culture. I love to learn, and regardless of whether I am working or simply conversing with friends, my thirst for knowledge has me on a quest for deeper meaning and understanding in all facets of my life.

Our Approach

True comprehension is the ability to share knowledge simply.

Ways to Engage

Culture and context are at the heart of each and every one of our methodologies.

Collaborative Ideation

Ispiration Boards

Corporate Diagnostics

Semiotics

Segmentation Profiling

Journey Mapping

Brand Building

Consumer Journaling

Immersive Ethnographies

Bulletin Board Focus Groups

Live Focus Groups

Concept Refinement

The combinations and permutations are endless.

We tailor our approach to your specific objectives.

Results of Context- ualization

Results of Contextualization

Debrief Workshops

Immersive Debriefs

Video Reporting

Two Solitudes Workshops

Consumer Narratives

The narrative is most meaningful when told truthfully and without boundaries.

Sylvestre’s Roots

Engaging with Millenials

Humour vs. Humor

Moments of Fun

Two Solitudes

Millenial Women

Our Team of Truth Seekers

Our expertise is the sum of our individual experiences.

Isabelle Landreville, M.Sc.President & Chief Insight Seeker

Julie Sylvestre, CMRP Chief Insight Seeker & Strategist

Kathleen Jackson Insight Seeker & Strategist

Nathalie Piché Project Manager

Yanick Archambault Insight Seeker & Strategist

Jordan Brown Resident Storyteller

Brendan Quinn Insight Seeker & Strategist

Montreal

2090, de la Montagne Street, suite 200 Montreal, QC H3G 1Z7 Telephone: 514-284-0878 info@sylvestreco.com

Toronto

140, Yonge Street, suite 200 Toronto, ON M5C 1X6 Telephone: 416-860-5620 info@sylvestreco.com

Collaborative Ideation

Inspiration Boards

Corporate Diagnostics

Semiotics

Segmentation Profiling

Journey Mapping

Brand Building

Consumer Journaling

Immersive Ethnographies

Bulletin Board Focus Groups

Live Focus Groups

Concept Refinement

Debrief Workshops

Immersive Debriefs

Video Reporting

Two Solitudes Workshops

Sylvestre’s Roots

Engaging Millennials

Scope

Engage

Contextualize

Susciter l'engagement des milléniaux

Cerner

Engager

Contextualiser

Moments of Fun

Scope

Engage

Contextualize

Moments de plaisir

Cerner

Engager

Contextualiser

Atelier «Deux solitudes»

Millenial Women & Personnal Care

Collaborative
Ideation

Ispiration
Boards

Corporate
Diagnostics

Segmentation
Profiling

Journey
Mapping

Brand
Building

Consumer
Journaling

Immersive
Ethnographies

Bulletin Board
Focus Groups

Live Focus
Groups

Concept
Refinement

Results of Context-
ualization

Debrief
Workshops

Immersive
Debriefs

Video
Reporting

Two Solitudes
Workshops

The narrative is most meaningful when told
truthfully and without boundaries.

Isabelle Landreville, M.Sc.
President & Chief Insight Seeker

Julie Sylvestre, CMRP
Chief Insight Seeker & Strategist

Kathleen Jackson
Insight Seeker & Strategist

Nathalie Piché
Project Manager

Yanick Archambault
Insight Seeker & Strategist

Jordan Brown
Resident Storyteller

Brendan Quinn
Insight Seeker & Strategist

2090, de la Montagne Street, suite 200
Montreal, QC H3G 1Z7
Telephone: 514-284-0878
info@sylvestreco.com

140, Yonge Street, suite 200
Toronto, ON M5C 1X6
Telephone: 416-860-5620
info@sylvestreco.com