I was born in Alberta and spent my 30s there, so I know the mindset and I continue to be impressed that Groupe Viva, a suburban Montreal DS company that is very clearly Francophone, continues to make headway in the Canadian equivalent of Texas.

(Disclosure - old clients, still good friends)

The company just announced it is expanding the footprint of screens it manages and produces content for a hockey superstore chain opening up in the  oil-rich and hockey-mad province.

Groupe VIVA is announcing it will reinforce its presence in Western Canada as its client, Pro Hockey Life Sporting Goods Inc., will be opening four new megastores in Alberta this summer. Groupe VIVA supplies and operates the digital display network based in each of the 20 megastores of the national chain, operating in Quebec under the banners Sports Gilbert Rousseau and Entrepôt Du Hockey.

The network is used mainly to communicate marketing messages to the client base and greatly contributes to the hockey ambiance within the stores. Some of the chain’s suppliers, such as Reebok and Bauer, even use the locations to advertise their new products.

"We are very happy and grateful to have the opportunity to participate in the deployment of the unique concept that Pro Hockey Life will be offering in Alberta", mentions Mr. Pierre Gendron, Head of the Council and CEO of Groupe VIVA. "As true pioneers in the industry of point of sale digital displays, the people at Pro Hockey Life can pride themselves on being among the first to implement such a network at the beginning of the third millenium and especially to have had the right instinct regarding the benefits such a marketing tool provides".

"Our concept is focused on the client experience and our digital display network definitely enhances the hockey ambiance in our stores, especially in the manner some of our screens are designed, much like the jumbo scoreboards you see in NHL arenas", mentions Mr. Anthony Fisher, Senior Vice-President, Marketing at Pro Hockey Life Sporting Goods Inc.

Other than these four new stores that will open in Calgary and Edmonton, Groupe VIVA also manages the on-lining of the network in the Quebec and Ontario stores, directly from its Boisbriand offices. 

The company also manages a network in stores run by the Forzani Group, the country's biggest sports retailer, and a big sports bar chain in Quebec. There is a bit of a natural fit, as Gendron and many of the company's exec are former pro hockey players. 

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