Crafting cultural connections

Zerotrillion’s international team blends business and cultural acumen to solve brand problems

IIN TODAY’S SPLINTERED DIGITAL landscape, brands that want to make an impact on culture must do something out of the ordinary to move the needle. That starts with a unique perspective, and Toronto-based Zerotrillion's diverse experiences across entertainment production and entrepreneurial start-ups gives it the vantage point to deliver just that.

Established in 2019, Zerotrillion’s offering spans brand strategy, design, advertising and PR. But CEO Alex Paquin says the agency really excels in two areas: its ability to translate culture and bring brands into new markets, and its strong creative production chops – no surprise given the film and TV origins of Paquin’s partners Robbie Amell (The Flash) and Italia Ricci (Designated Survivor).

Above: Zerotrillion Ventures recently invested cash and resources in outdoor recreation apparel company Alder, helping it grow with branding, creative, PR and media resources support. The clothing company’s latest collab sees it roll out a limited edition Roots x alder collection. Right: 1 Zerotrillion built the campaign “Whatever Trip You Need” to remind audiences of all ways they could explore Niagara Falls and the different people with whom they could plan a trip. 2 The documentary Dutch Candy, shot with photographer Peter Andrew Lusztyk, looks at the design and branding of ecstasy in the Netherlands. It’s the inaugural effort of the agency’s Amsterdam-based Studiotrillion, a studio exploring art, culture, vice and virtue. 3 For loyalty program Drop, Zerotrillion created a brand identity that mixes colourful 3D shapes with vibrant, modern photography. It aims to reflect the positive customer experience the Drop team has been designing for its next phase of growth. 4 Zerotrillion’s own sustainable travel and self-care focused womenswear brand Veld launched a spring collection with the introduction of the organic cotton, oversized Ex-Boyfriend Shirt. The campaign features Canadian actor and agency partner Italia Ricci.

The agency has grown to a carefully curated headcount of just under 40, spread among offices in Toronto, New York and Amsterdam. “We come from international agencies,” Paquin says. “Everyone here has worked in major cities on major brands. And in that experience we’ve all realized there’s a handful of people who do most of the quality work. Those are the people we try to bring in.”

Zerotrillion made a splash in 2021 with a one-hour special it shot for Niagara Falls Tourism. Alessia Cara Live from Niagara Falls aired on CTV and MTV internationally, with segments picked up by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The program earned 241 million impressions on a media budget that, according to Paquin, would normally deliver three or four million.

The agency won the work by bringing something fresh to the table. “Our team on that business had never been to Niagara Falls or Canada,” Paquin says. They looked at it like tourists and were able to “bring a lot of imagination and wonder to the experience to better reflect the people Niagara Falls wanted to attract.”

It’s that kind of thinking that has brought them new clients including cannabis producer Organigram and Toronto Pearson Airport – and kept long-term clients such as the CNIB Foundation.

For fintech company Drop, one of its latest additions, Zerotrillion was tasked with developing a brand platform and originating national marketing campaigns. The work kicked off with a new brand identity mixing colourful 3D shapes with vibrant, modern photography. The work rolled out across Drop’s in-app UI, marketing channels and communications. Released in January, the new system has driven a 34% increase in CTR on ads at a 22% decrease in customer acquisition cost.

All this success can be traced to Zerotrillion’s entrepreneurial spirit and focus on consumer tastes and trends, which has seen it launch a venture capital offshoot. Zerotrillion Ventures supports creative business concepts ranging from sustainable restaurants to environmentally friendly clothing brands. One of its latest investments is in start-up Alder Apparel, a company that makes body-inclusive outdoor attire. Beyond its financial investment, Zerotrillion is supporting the brand with creative, PR and media resources to stimulate growth.

Other non-traditional projects include the launch of Amsterdam-based spin-off Studiotrillion, an interdisciplinary studio exploring the intersection of art, culture, vice and virtue. Early this year Studiotrillion partnered with Canadian photographer Peter Andrew Lusztyk to delve into the marketing behind one of the Netherlands’ largest exports: ecstasy.

The resulting 12-minute documentary Dutch Candy goes undercover to offer a rare glimpse into the black market and the role of branding in the drug world. The project sheds light on designs that are stolen or created to market the pills – drugs that carry the likenesses of comic book character Punisher, Donald Trump or brand names such as Netflix and Heineken. The agency financed the project simply because it was a story it wanted to tell, making it freely available on dutchcandy.art, with a series of photographs exhibited at Stockholm’s Picture This Gallery.

Paquin says it all speaks to how Zerotrillion can help brands that want to play a more significant role in culture. “It’s more about ‘How can we contribute to culture?’ We’re basically a network of talented people from around the world, and we’ll figure out how to harness that.”