Montréal Loves Research campaign earns top honours

Showcasing Montréal’s research leadership

Deployed primarily across the United States, the campaign sought to position Greater Montréal’s unique advantages among researchers and businesses looking to advance their R&D activities.

Through a series of targeted initiatives, Montréal International highlighted the region’s competitive edge, including its 15 university campuses, internationally recognized research centres and institutes, leadership in strategic sectors such as artificial intelligence, and deep pool of highly skilled talent.

Rather than relying on a traditional institutional message, the campaign placed researchers themselves at the heart of the story with a video that included personal testimonies from three Montréal-based researchers:

• Rachel Bouserhal, École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS)
• Sasha Luccioni, Sustainable AI Group and McGill University
• Lucien Weiss, Polytechnique Montréal

Their interviews offered an authentic look at a city where research is supported, valued and closely connected to the needs of society and industry. This people-first approach resonated strongly with the IEDC jury while reinforcing Greater Montréal’s reputation as a global hub for innovation, discovery and scientific excellence.

A multi-channel strategy delivering measurable results

To reach researchers and decisionmakers effectively, Montréal International deployed a comprehensive promotional strategy that included:

• A flagship video featuring the three researchers
• A targeted LinkedIn campaign aimed at researchers and corporate decisionmakers
• Advertising placements on the campuses of Harvard University, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Illinois at Chicago
• Dedicated web pages for both researchers and businesses
• Business development activities supporting the attraction of foreign R&D investment

Together, these initiatives were designed to increase Montréal’s visibility among audiences most likely to choose the region for research projects, talent recruitment or investment opportunities.

The campaign delivered strong results within just a few months:

• More than 2 million impressions among targeted audiences
• 169 international researchers expressed interest in pursuing research and career opportunities in Montréal

A united academic community

One of the project’s defining strengths was the mobilization of 10 Montréal universities and higher education institutions: Concordia University, École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), HEC Montréal, Polytechnique Montréal, Université de Montréal, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), McGill University, École nationale d’administration publique (ENAP), Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) and TELUQ.

This collective effort enabled Greater Montréal to present a clear and unified vision of its research and innovation ecosystem on the international stage. The collaboration between Montréal International, an economic development organization, and Montréal’s academic institutions stands as a compelling example of how partnerships can have a real impact to attract talent and investment attraction initiatives.

A shared achievement

This recognition belongs to all the partners who contributed to the campaign’s success: the universities and higher education institutions, the City of Montréal, government partners, the researchers who generously shared their stories, and the Montréal International teams who developed and delivered the initiative.

Together, they helped bring Greater Montréal’s research excellence to a global audience and strengthened the region’s position as one of North America’s leading destinations for research and innovation.