The Global Village Next Door: Why Québec is a “We” culture in an “I” world

In the vast, sprawling landscape of North America, Québec stands as a fascinating paradox. It is a modern, innovative society that functions with the intimacy of a small town. According to Sonya Bacon, Senior Brand Strategist and Lecturer at Sherbrooke University, understanding this unique “village culture” is the only way to truly connect with the province. It is a place where the collective “we” triumphs over the individual “I”, and where brands are judged not by their polish, but by their ability to act like a good neighbour.

The power of “we” 

To understand Québec, one must first understand its fundamental divergence from the rest of Canada. While English-speaking Canada (and much of the Western world) operate on an individualistic model, Québec constructs meaning collectively. Identity in Québec is relational, historical, and deeply cross-generational. As Bacon notes, Québec culture is anchored in roots and shared history: “Where do we come from? What did we build? How does my story connect to a larger one?”.

This collective lens is visible in the very language used: nous (us), ensemble (together), nos histoires (our stories). It is an ecosystem with its own language, humour, and collective memory, where cultural references act as a secret handshake.

A village at scale

Sonya Bacon describes Québec as having a “village culture at scale”. It exists as two simultaneous realities: one urban and modern, the other rural and attached to its roots. This duality creates a specific requirement for anyone trying to enter the market: trust must precede commerce.

In a village, everyone knows everyone, and word travels fast. Consequently, authenticity is non-negotiable. “If a brand pretends, it gets exposed and very fast” Bacon warns. Rejection in Québec is rarely just commercial, it is cultural. To succeed, an outsider must become “neighbor-like”, human, familiar, and accessible. The corporate veneer must be stripped away in favour of local voices and emotional warmth.

When giants stumble 

The stakes of ignoring this cultural nuance are high. Bacon points to Pepsi as a cautionary tale. For decades, Pepsi was a cultural icon in Québec, famously outperforming Coke thanks to the legendary “Ici c’est Pepsi” (Here, it’s Pepsi) campaign, which spoke to belonging rather than consumption. However, when Pepsi reduced its local cultural investment to rely on global assets, its resonance weakened. Recently, Coca-Cola even took over the sponsorship of Bye Bye, Québec’s New Year’s Eve television institution—a massive cultural shift that signals Pepsi’s disconnect from the local village.

Conversely, McDonald’s remains the gold standard in terms of authenticity and connection with the local culture. They never treated Québec merely as a “translation market” but as a distinct market with cultural nuance. By using local icons and weaving themselves into the daily fabric of Québec life, they achieved a balance of global power and local behaviour.

The three rules of entry

For those looking to navigate this complex market, Sonya Bacon offers three guiding principles that define the Québec village mindset:

1)    proximity over translation

2)    authenticity over polish

3)    and humility over dominance.

You cannot simply translate a slogan and expect it to land. You must arrive not with a declaration of who you are, but with a humble inquiry: “Here's how we fit with who you are”.

In Québec, you are not selling to a consumer, you are trying to join a conversation. And in this village, the conversation never really ends.

To watch the full interview with Sonya Bacon, click here.