Récréation
Récréation is a Quebec City-based full-service advertising agency offering creative, media planning, branding, social, and experience design to public-sector, automotive, tourism, non-profit, and SMB clients across Quebec, led by owner Frédéric Masse since 2010.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersQuébec, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Récréation does
Récréation is a Quebec City-based full-service advertising and creative agency founded in 2010 and led by owner Frédéric Masse. The firm offers a vertically integrated set of creative services including advertising creation, media planning, strategy, design, branding, social media management, content creation, and experience design, applying a proprietary co-creation framework it brands as the Distillateur Récré methodology. It operates a sister-agency relationship with Hint for digital marketing, allowing it to bundle creative and digital execution for clients.
The agency's client base spans Quebec public sector bodies, automotive events (Salon de l'Auto de Montréal), tourism initiatives, educational institutions, non-profits, and small-to-medium businesses, with named engagements including Ville de Matane, CCAQ, and Baloney. In March 2026, Récréation acquired Bambou Communication, expanding capacity and likely headcount beyond the previously cited 17 employees. The agency has accumulated 10+ international creative awards over the past three years, signaling recognized creative output relative to regional peers.
The business model is project-based professional services: revenue is generated through retainers, creative campaigns, media planning fees, and project deliverables, priced per engagement against Quebec-market benchmarks. Go-to-market relies on reputation, award credentials, RFP processes for public-sector and non-profit accounts, and word-of-mouth in the Quebec SMB segment. No funding rounds or external investment are disclosed; the firm operates as a privately held company under its owner-operator leadership.
Récréation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Récréation
- Legal name
- Récréation
- Website
- https://agencerecreation.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Récréation is a Quebec City-based full-service advertising agency offering creative, media planning, branding, social, and experience design to public-sector, automotive, tourism, non-profit, and SMB clients across Quebec, led by owner Frédéric Masse since 2010.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Récréation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Québec
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Récréation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Professional Services (Advertising & Branding): Récréation generates revenue through professional services including advertising creation, branding and brand identity, media planning and buying, social media management, content creation, experiential design, and communication strategy. Services are billed project-by-project or through retainer agreements, with pricing based on scope, complexity, and campaign duration.
- Web & Digital Collaboration (via Hint): The agency collaborates with its sister agency Hint for web development and digital marketing services. Revenue flows through referrals and collaborative project delivery for web and digital marketing mandates.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Professional services engagement – pricing varies by project scope and client requirements |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Récréation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Récréation is a full-service advertising and creative agency that develops brand identities, advertising campaigns, media plans, social media content, and experiential design for clients across government, automotive, tourism, non-profit, education, and SMB sectors. The agency uses a proprietary co-creation methodology called the 'Distillateur Récré' to embed clients in workshops and iterative brand development, and complements its creative work with digital marketing and web services through its sister agency Hint.
Product overview
Récréation is a Quebec-based advertising and creative agency offering a comprehensive suite of marketing and communication services. The agency's core offerings include advertising creation, media planning and buying, strategy, graphic design, branding (visual identity), social media management, content creation, and experiential design. Additional services in digital marketing and web development are delivered through collaboration with sister agency Hint and a network of partner firms. The agency is known for its co-creation approach with clients, combining strategic thinking with creative execution across brand identity projects, advertising campaigns, and multi-platform marketing initiatives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hint: Sister digital marketing agency (agence sœur) for digital marketing services
Products and services
- Création publicitaire (Advertising Creation)
Quantifiable outcome
- 11,660+ job applications generated for 'Ma carrière en concessionnaire' campaign; 19,000+ conversions; 40.1M+ ad impressions; 35% conversion rate on sign-up forms
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Récréation
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Récréation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Récréation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Hint (Marketing numérique)coreHint is Récréation's sister digital marketing agency (hintmarketingnumerique.com). The two agencies cross-refer projects: Récréation refers web and digital marketing clients to Hint, while Hint refers branding and advertising clients to Récréation. Both agencies share office proximity and collaborative relationships. Récréation directs its digital marketing inquiries to Hint and describes them as 'notre agence sœur' (our sister agency).
- Bambou CommunicationcoreRécréation took over the operations of Bambou Communication, acquiring its team and client base. Lucie Lebel led the transition, and Frédéric Masse of Récréation received the business cards. The acquisition expanded Récréation's team and capabilities, representing a strategic expansion of the agency's talent pool and expertise.
- Mallette (consulting firm)supportingMallette was engaged as a consulting partner for the Salon de l'Auto de Montréal brand redesign project. The firm conducted surveys, creative workshops, and focus groups to help identify the SAM's new positioning and vision. Récréation led the creative work while Mallette provided strategic consulting support.
- SOM (research firm)supportingSOM was engaged for the CCAQ 'Ma carrière en concessionnaire' employer branding project, conducting focus groups to identify key recruitment barriers. Récréation led the creative and strategic direction while SOM provided market research and perception analysis.
- Quinzhee ArchitecturesupportingQuinzhee Architecture provided architectural renderings for the Baloney restaurant project, creating interior design visuals that complemented Récréation's brand identity work. The two firms collaborated on the complete restaurant environment.
- Doki Doki (sound production)supportingDoki Doki handled sound design and production for the SNAP Québec campaign, creating ambient audio featuring sounds of endangered Quebec species for both video and radio advertisements.
- Qolab (production company)supportingQolab handled video production for the Otogo campaign. The production company worked closely with Récréation's creative team to bring the 'À go, pensez Otogo' concept to life with humor-driven advertising scenarios.
- Nova Film (production company)supportingNova Film served as the production partner for the Place aux jeunes en région 15-week Quebec-wide video and photo shoot. The team covered 15 regions to create exclusive promotional content for the organization's brand and regional marketing materials.
- Studio Nord Est (motion design)supportingStudio Nord Est provided motion design services for the Place aux jeunes en région corporate motion video, producing animated content that was presented at the brand unveiling and in multiple formats.
- Julia GR (illustrator)supportingJulia GR was engaged as the illustrator for the Aashukan sensitivity guide for Tourisme Autochtone Québec. Her distinctive illustrative style was used throughout the document to symbolically represent sensitive topics with poetry and intelligence.
- À l'abri de la Tempête (microbrewery)supportingÀ l'abri de la Tempête, a well-known microbrewery on the Îles de la Madeleine, collaborated with Récréation and Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine to create a four-beer tasting pack representing the flavors and identity of the islands. This was the first concrete brand extension of the new tourism brand.
- Audrey Malo (illustrator)supportingAudrey Malo from Montérégie was commissioned to create illustrations representing the unique character of each of Quebec's regions for the Place aux jeunes en region's promotional materials. Her illustrative style was chosen for its ability to highlight the identity of each region.
- Mathieu Dupuis (photographer)supportingMathieu Dupuis, a photographer originally from Abitibi who has been published in National Geographic, was hired to shoot photos and videos for the Cégep de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue brand identity. His internationally recognized eye brought essential authenticity to the territorial imagery.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Récréation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Adviso: Montreal-based digital marketing and strategy agency. Comparable to Récréation on Quebec base and partial overlap in client types, but its center of gravity is digital performance and analytics rather than creative brand identity.
Broad incumbents
- Publicis Canada: Global communications network with Canadian operations offering advertising, media, and brand services. A broad incumbent competing for the same Quebec and Canadian enterprise clients, with significantly larger scale and integrated capabilities.
- Dentsu Creative (Canada): Global creative network with a Canadian footprint offering advertising, branding, and integrated marketing. A broad incumbent competing for the same enterprise and government clients at significantly greater scale than Récréation.
Direct peers
- Taxi: Toronto-based independent creative agency with full-service brand, advertising, and digital capabilities. A direct Canadian peer offering comparable service profile and competing for many of the same enterprise clients across Canada.
- Cartier & Co: Quebec-based brand strategy and creative agency. Comparable to Récréation on geography, mid-market positioning, and a profile of branding and strategic communication services for Quebec-based enterprises.
- Sid Lee: Montreal-based independent creative agency with full-service brand, advertising, and experiential design practices. Comparable to Récréation on service offering, awards profile, and creative-led positioning, but materially larger and globally scaled.
- BleuBlancRouge: Montreal-based independent creative agency offering brand strategy, advertising, and digital services. Direct peer due to shared Quebec/Canadian market, comparable mid-size client base, and similar emphasis on creative-led brand work.
- Lemieux Bédard: Quebec-based independent creative and brand strategy agency. Direct peer given the same home province, similar size band, and overlapping public-sector and cultural brand mandate profile.
- Lg2: Quebec City-based independent creative and brand agency with comparable full-service advertising, branding, and experiential capabilities. Direct peer given shared Quebec geography, similar client mix across government, retail, and consumer brands, and comparable boutique positioning.
- Cossette: Quebec City-founded, Canada-wide communications and brand agency offering advertising, branding, and media services. A direct peer given the same home market, similar service stack, and overlapping public-sector and consumer clients, though Cossette operates at significantly larger scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Récréation social profiles
Digital presenceRécréation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Récréation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Récréation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Récréation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Récréation
What does Récréation do?
Récréation is a full-service advertising and creative agency that develops brand identities, advertising campaigns, media plans, social media content, and experiential design for clients across government, automotive, tourism, non-profit, education, and SMB sectors. The agency uses a proprietary co-creation methodology called the 'Distillateur Récré' to embed clients in workshops and iterative brand development, and complements its creative work with digital marketing and web services through its sister agency Hint.
Is Récréation a public or private company?
Récréation is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Récréation founded?
Récréation was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Récréation based?
Récréation is headquartered in Québec, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Récréation make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Professional Services (Advertising & Branding) is the primary driver. The others are web & Digital Collaboration (via Hint).
Who are Récréation's main competitors?
Adviso is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Publicis Canada and Dentsu Creative (Canada). Direct peers are Taxi, Cartier & Co, Sid Lee, BleuBlancRouge, Lemieux Bédard, Lg2 and Cossette.
Does Récréation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Récréation.