Gimmick Studio

What Gimmick Studio does

Gimmick Studio is a Montreal-headquartered motion design studio operating since 2017, delivering custom 2D, 3D, mixed media, character animation, illustration, VFX, live-action, motion graphics, and typographic work for brands, advertising agencies, and entertainment companies. The studio runs project-based engagements with no standardized public pricing; prospects submit inquiries through a website form that includes a budget-range selector, and quotes are issued per scope. Channel reach is built through named representation in the US (co-founder Francois Dulac and Friend YEW/Tino Slad) and Canada outside Quebec (Hesty Reps / Lisa Batke), layered on top of direct enterprise relationships and ongoing agency partnerships with FCB, AKWA, TBWA, and DEPT.

The studio's published client roster spans Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Meta, TikTok, Porsche, Chase, DoorDash, Cartoon Network, Coors Light, Jack Link's, Jolly Ranchers, Owens Corning, American Apparel, Keilhauer, Havoc, Cantebury, United Way, ALERT (Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams), and gaming/entertainment properties including Tennocon/Warframe (2024), indicating capability across CPG, automotive, technology, financial services, food delivery, sports, nonprofit, government, and gaming verticals. The co-founders are Benoit Fortier (creative director) and Francois Dulac, with a broader creative team of approximately 14 listed professionals.

The business model is professional services revenue: each engagement is a custom project, billed against scope, with no disclosed pricing tiers, no software product, no app, and no API offering (has_app=false, api_exists=false). The company is privately held, bootstrapped, with no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, or institutional investors. Marketing is portfolio-driven via the bilingual (EN/FR) website, Instagram, LinkedIn, Behance, Pinterest, and Facebook, with the website contact form functioning as the primary bottom-of-funnel lead capture. The registered GIMMICK® trademark and a 7+ year operating history with brand-name clients form the core intangible assets supporting the firm's positioning.

Name

Gimmick Studio

Legal name

Gimmick Studios

Website

https://gimmickstudio.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gimmick Studio is a Montreal-based motion design studio, founded in 2017, delivering custom 2D/3D animation, VFX, illustration, and mixed-media work on a project basis to enterprise brands, advertising agencies, and entertainment companies across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Motion Design and Animation Production Services

NAICS

Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

3D/CGI Animation Production (MPADACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Content Production (Video, Design, Copy, Studio) (BPAFAAAF), 3D Product/Explainer Animation (MPAHACAD), Motion Graphics & Title Design (MPADACAD), Video/Film Creative Agencies (Concept-to-Creative) (MPAAAAAG)

Keywords

• Motion design services
• 3D animation production
• Visual effects production
• Creative brand content
• Character animation studio

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Custom Motion Design Projects: Project-based professional services generating revenue through custom animation and motion design work for brands, agencies, and the entertainment sector. Work is commissioned per project with no standardized pricing tiers publicly disclosed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Gimmick Studio is a motion design studio that produces custom 2D animation, 3D animation, mixed media, character animation, motion graphics, typographic design, illustration, VFX and compositing, live action integration, and editing services for brands, advertising agencies, and entertainment companies. Projects are commissioned per engagement to deliver campaign films, brand films, product launch films, social content, and brand identity work for clients such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Meta, TikTok, Porsche, Cartoon Network, DoorDash, and Chase. The studio operates from Montreal, Quebec and has been producing work since 2017.

Product overview

Gimmick Studio is a motion design powerhouse offering creative services rather than a software product. The studio provides a unified suite of animation and visual effects services including creative direction, design, 2D animation, 3D animation, illustration, VFX and compositing, and editing. Their work spans multiple disciplines including character animation, mixed media, live action integration, motion graphics, and typographic design. Projects are created for a diverse client roster including major brands (Porsche, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Meta, TikTok), agencies, and entertainment companies. The studio operates from Montreal and has been in operation since 2017.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Motion Design Services Core motion design studio offering providing creative direction, design, 2D animation, 3D animation, mixed media, character animation, illustration, live action integration, VFX and compositing, motion graphics, typographic design, and editing services to brands, advertising agencies, and entertainment companies via custom project commissions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully delivers projects for global brands including Coca Cola, Pepsi, Meta, TikTok, Porsche, and major sporting organizations

Named customers19 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Francois Dulac (US Representation)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFrancois Dulac serves as the primary representation contact for the US market. Businesses and agencies in the USA can reach out to [email protected] for project inquiries and business development purposes.
• Hesty Reps (Canada Representation)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHesty Reps, represented by Lisa Batke, handles Canada-wide representation outside Quebec. Contact at [email protected] for project inquiries from Canadian clients outside Quebec.
• Friend YEW (US Representation)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFriend YEW (Tino Slad) serves as alternative US representation contact, reachable at [email protected], providing additional coverage for US market inquiries.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Psyop: Globally recognized creative animation and content studio producing commercials, branded content, and mixed-media campaigns for Fortune 500 brands. Closely comparable in creative ambition and client mix to Gimmick.
• Buck: Award-winning motion design and creative studio serving major brands with 2D/3D animation, VFX, and design. Highly comparable in offering, client caliber, and bold creative positioning to Gimmick Studio.
• Giant Ant: Toronto-based animation and design studio specializing in character animation, motion graphics, and illustration for major brands. Direct Canadian peer with comparable scope, craft focus, and brand-tier client roster.
• Tendril: Canadian motion design and animation studio with a strong design-led portfolio across 2D, 3D, and VFX for global brands. Direct peer in geography, scale, and creative services.
• Sarofsky: Chicago-based motion design and VFX studio serving major brands, agencies, and entertainment clients with design-driven animation. Comparable service mix and brand-led project model.

Broad incumbents

• MPC (Moving Picture Company): World-leading VFX and post-production studio producing advertising, film, and episodic content. Competes with Gimmick on high-end branded animation but at vastly greater scale and geographic footprint.
• The Mill: Global VFX, design, and creative content studio serving the world's largest brands and agencies. Overlaps with Gimmick in branded motion work but operates at much larger scale and broader service breadth.

Emerging players

• BARK BARK: Atlanta-based boutique creative studio producing design-led motion, animation, and brand content for major brands and agencies. Comparable boutique scale and craft-driven approach.
• Acolyte: Independent creative studio producing high-end motion design, animation, and visual content for brands. Comparable boutique studio offering overlapping capabilities.
• Hero Film: Los Angeles motion design and creative studio producing design-driven animation and branded content. Comparable in size, multi-discipline capability, and brand-targeted work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gimmickstudiomtl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gimmick-studio
• Instagraminstagram.com/gimmick.studio
• Pinterestca.pinterest.com/gimmickstudio
• Xx.com/studio_gimmick

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gimmick Studio