The “Cardio Mental Tonique Wow” awareness campaign, launched by La Lancée, an initiative of M361, encourages women ages 18 to 24 to adopt a physically active lifestyle every day to promote their well-being.
The main character in this campaign is Nancy Choquette, a motivated fitness instructor straight out of the 1980s. With her energy and quirky advice, Nancy is active on various platforms and uses her videos to inspire her “Wow” (her followers) to get moving.
In just a few days, the “Cardio Mental Tonique Wow” campaign went viral, racking up more than 45 million views and over 500,000 interactions. As higher education institutions seek effective ways to reach the 18- to 24-year-old demographic, it is interesting to understand what accounts for Generation Z’s massive engagement with this campaign.
Frédéric Therrien and Louis Rodrigue from M361 led a workshop as part of the Journées SME 2026 to address this question. Here’s what we took away from their social media marketing strategy.
Above all, it was a structured, rigorous approach that made it possible to carry out strategic initiatives targeting the campaign’s intended audience.
- A literature review helped identify the trends, behaviors, and issues specific to Generation Z. This step helped us better understand the characteristics of this customer base, particularly its relationship with social media and authenticity.
- Surveys have provided concrete insights into young people’s motivations and barriers, particularly as they relate to physical activity and mental health. This data helped identify real obstacles (e.g., lack of motivation, social discomfort), which guided the campaign’s messaging.
- Focus groups provided a deeper understanding of young people’s perceptions and preferences. This step was crucial for testing concepts and selecting an appropriate creative approach, which led to the creation of the character Nancy.
- A logical model was used to set objectives, guide the team throughout the campaign, and, most importantly, evaluate it.
- A stakeholder analysis identified key advocates (student organizations, influencers, institutional partners) capable of amplifying the message within the communities where Generation Z spends its time.
- Continuous, real-time analysis of audience reactions (comments, shares, interactions) allowed us to adjust the content as the campaign progressed.
The campaign’s success can therefore be attributed to an effective combination of key factors: a memorable character who is both humorous and believable, a strong alignment with Gen Z’s cultural norms, constant interaction with the community, and a rigorous, data-driven strategy that is continuously refined.
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