Urbania is a Montreal-based media group that was created in 2000. The company operates diverse digital media, a brand agency, a technological laboratory, and an audiovisual production house.
The media group distinguishes itself with its unconventional tone, its close attention to graphic design and visual presentation and its focus on discussing controversial news.
Urbania also operates in France since 2020.
History Urbania Media originated as a magazine launched in 2003 with a thematic quarterly format. The founders, Philippe Lamarre and Vianney Tremblay, initially worked at the Toxa Design Agency, which had been established in 2000. Initially, the main goal of project was to explore new avenues and have fun. The founders did not imagine it would last for more than a decade.
In 2015, The Toxa Design Agency and Urbania's operations were combined under the same name.
In an interview for the French Canadian Newspaper Le Devoir, Philippe Lamarre explains that Urbania's initial mission to highlight ordinary people doing extraordinary things did not change. Still, its approach to achieving this mission has evolved.
For its 15th anniversary, Urbania referenced a famous Esquire magazine cover featuring Muhammad Ali, by portraying Richard Martineau as a martyr which created controversy. Among Urbania's previous magazine covers are Justin Trudeau and Gérald Tremblay crucified on Mont Royal, Jean Charest shaped in a block of cheddar cheese and Antoine Bertrand and Michèle Richard wearing a bikini.
In September 2020, Urbania Media was established in France under the supervision of Florent Peiffer. Urbania's interest in France was previously shown had already shown an interest for the French market by dedicating an issue to Paris in 2012 as well as during an interview for Le Devoir in 2018.
For Urbania's 20th anniversary in 2023, Cardinal Editions published a book tracing the media group's history.
Media Urbania first started as a physical magazine but is now mainly a digital magazine.
Each issue of Urbania is dedicated to a particular theme, such as odours, vice, food, scammers, sex, lesbians, and the Quebecois male. The first issue was dedicated to locomotion. The magazine puts lots of attention on graphic design, visual presentation, and layout.
In an interview for Le Devoir, Denis Lord explains that Urbania depicts important and modern urban phenomena while suggesting new ways to view society, and remaining informative, entertaining rebellious and open-minded.
Precisely, he states that "for its 20 years, URBANIA has expanded its audience by developing niche content around themes that resonate with young adults, all while maintaining Urbania's distinct tone."
The magazine publishes numerous articles and videos in gonzo journalism (also called experiential journalism) with a hint of humour and a nonconformist tone. The main goal of this method is for readers to immerse in the information and for Urbania to produce content with emotion and sensitivity.
Urbania has a target audience of young adults ranging from 25 to 44-year-olds in the province.
Quatre95 (Quebec) Launched in 2019, Quatre95 is a sub-media of Urbania focused on personal finances, entrepreneurship, the work and business landscape and consumption. It is sponsored by the National Bank of Canada.
The name of this subgroup comes from the original price of the physical Urbania magazine, which was $4.95. In 2022, Quatre95 won the Gold Price of Excellence in digital Publication in the category Of best Editorial newsletter.
Dehors (Quebec) Launched in 2021, Dehors discusses the outdoors and sports, nature, tourism and adventures. The goal of Dehors is to offer inclusive content that is free of taboos. According to Barbara Judith Caron, director of digital content, the goal with Dehors is that every reader feels included and connected to the content.
Mollo Launched in August 2023 in collaboration with Attitude and Télé-Québec, Mollo targets parents by discussing topics related to parenthood. The main objective of the Mollo subgroup is to support parents in their family and social lives from before the child's birth until the sixth year of primary school. The platform addresses the ups and downs of the world of parenthood without restrictions or taboos.
Guide des universités Urbania The Guide des Universités Urbania was launched in January 2020. The platform aims to entertain a young audience ranging from 18 to 25 years old by informing them about the student culture.
Urbania (France) In September 2020, Urbania was launched in France under the direction of Florent Peiffer, also joined by members of the original Canadian company. In 2022, approximately 20 journalists were employed to work for the European version of Urbania.
Like its Canadian parent company, the French version of Urbania offers articles and videos on various topics.
In 2021, Urbania France published an investigation into the sexual assault accusations against a popular French YouTuber named Norman Thavaud. These accusations were made by one of Norman's followers who was a minor. Norman Thavaud's press officer denies the accusation but confirms that exchanges between the YouTuber and his fan took place. The case was subsequently covered by Arrêt Sur Images and Libération a year and a half later.
In 2022, Urbania France and YouBlive, a live content agency, partnered to recruit Anaïs Carayon for editorial direction.
Urbania productions Since 2006, Urbania is collaborating with ARTV for the TV show Mange ta Ville at the request of Catherine Pogonat.
Since 2007, Urbania produces TV shows such as Montréal en 12 lieux and Québec en 12 lieux, both aired on TV5.
Urbania Montréal also produces TV shows for Québecor, Bell Media, TV5, Corus, Radio-Canada, Télé-Québec and ARTE.
In collaboration with the Quebec publishing house La Pastèque, Urbania transforms a children's comic book series called Le facteur de l’espace into an animated children's series and a mini-game.
Urbania Studios Urbania Studios is the creative studio within the media group focused on brands. The Montreal-based studio produces brand content. It collaborated with Guru, Toyota and the National Bank of Canada.
In 2023, Urbania launched a talent agency named Valides to represent content creators in partnership with Hainault.
Physical magazine Urbania previously distributed physical magazine issues. Listed below are the name of each issues distributed. Locomotion - Summer 2003
Odeur - Fall 2003
Commerce – Winter 2004
Vice – Spring 2004
Son – Fall 2004
Style – Winter 2005
Gars – Spring 2005
Rétro – Summer 2005
Médias – Fall 2005
Party – Spring 2006
Ethnies – Summer 2006
Folie – Fall 2006
Bouffe – Winter 2007
Vert - Spring2007
Filles – Summer 2007
Montréal – Fall 2007Célébrité – Fall 2007
Hobby – Spring 2008
Luxe – Summer 2008
Hockey – Fall 2008
Sexe – Winter 2009
Design – Spring 2009
Québec – Summer 2009
Best of – Winter 2010
Médias sociaux – Spring 2010
Âge d'Or – Summer 2010
Escrocs – Fall 2010
Gros – Winter 2011
Humour – Summer 2011
Bébés – Fall 2011
Lesbiennes – Winter 2012
Hiver Québécois – Spring 2012Parisiens – Summer 2012
À la Ferme – Fall 2012
Anglos – Winter 2013
Special Issue: Imaginer Montréal - L'école URBANIA
Roux – Spring 2013
Rue – Summer 2013
Étudiants – Fall 2013
Special Issue : Imaginer Montréal - L'école URBANIA
Célibataires – Fall 2014
Anonymat – Yearly 2014
Canada – Yearly 2015
Extraordinaire - 50 Québécois qui créent l'extraordinaire en 2016 - April 2016
Cannabis - Yearly 2016
Extraordinaire - 50 Québécois qui créent l'extraordinaire en 2017 - April 2017
Nos Parents – Yearly September 2017
Nouveau Québécois - 15 ans - Yearly May 2018
Extraordinaire 2018 – Fall 2018
Thème libre – Fall 2019
TV productions Since 2015, the media group produces the TV show C’est juste de la TV, hosted by Anne-Marie Withenshaw.
In 2019, Urbania collaborated with the Alchimie group to launch a web television series called Sexplora TV. The TV show was awarded a Gémeaux Award in the category of interactive production – Public Affairs - magazine (2019) 2007Montréal en 12 lieux - Série documentaire - TV5 Québec2010Québec en 12 lieux - 2009-2010 - Série documentaire - TV5 Québec2013Fort McMoney - Documentaire - ONF
VR en déroute - Série documentaire - Évasion2014C'est juste de la TV - saison 10 - 2014 - Magazine culturel - ARTV
Le steakhouse - Documentaire - Canal D
Les discrètes - Documentaire - Radio-Canada2015C'est juste de la TV - saison 11 - 2015 - Magazine culturel - ARTV
L'impact, en route vers la MLS - Série documentaire - TVA Sports2016Ça fait 20 ans - Documentaire unique - Radio-Canada
C'est juste de la TV - saison 12 - 2016 - Magazine culturel - ARTV
Conte du centre-sud - Documentaire - Radio-Canada
Coureur de smashs - Série documentaire
Cris sur le bayou - Documentaire - Canal D
Les millionnaires - Fiction - Tou.tv
Moto café racers - Série documentaire - Historia2017C'est juste de la TV - saison 13 - 2017 - Magazine culturel - ARTV
ICI URBANIA - Série documentaire - Radio-Canada2018C'est juste de la TV - saison 14 - 2018 - Magazine culturel - ARTV
Sexplora I, II et III - 2016-2018 - Série documentaire - Explora
Si j'ai bien compris II (Noël) - Balados - Ici première
Vendeurs de rêves - Série documentaire - V2019À deux pas de la liberté - Série documentaire - UNIS
Apprenti autiste - Documentaire unique - Télé-Québec
Infiltration IV - Série documentaire - Z
Jeunesse arabe, yallah! - Série - TV5 TV5 monde et Tou.tv
Mal Élevé - Documentaire unique - Radio-Canada
Vérités & conséquences I à III - 2016 à 2019 - Magazine de société - Tou.tv
Zone Franche - 2018 à 2019 - Magazine de société - Télé-Québec 2020Bienvenue à Cité-des-Prairies - Balados - Ici première
Bébés - Captation pièce de théâtre - ARTV
Couple de nerds (télé+MN) - Série documentaire - Savoir média
J'étais là - Série documentaire - Tou.tv / ARTE
La belle vie avec Go-Van - Série documentaire - UNIS
Kevin - Documentaire unique - Crave / Canal D
Sauvetage animal - Série documentaire - TVA
Qui a peur des pitbulls? - Documentaire - Radio-Canada
Un zoo... l'ennui - Documentaire - Radio-Canada 2021Aiguille sous roche - Documentaire - Télé-Québec
Chef en pandémie - Documentaire - Télé-Québec
Couple de nerds - Série documentaire en 2 saisons - Savoir média
Emoji-Nation - Série documentaire - Tou.tv / ARTE
Havana - Série documentaire - Quebecor (Vrai et Évasion)
Kings of coke - Documentaire - Crave / Noovo
La belle vie II (télé + MN) - Série documentaire - UNIS
La fin des faibles - Variété - Télé-Québec
Les sombres secrets du St-Laurent - Série documentaire - Historia
Louis T veut savoir - Série documentaire - Savoir média
Plat pref - Magazine - Plateforme SRC Mordu
Marie-Ève Aubry - Documentaire - Crave / Canal D
Viens souper - Magazine - AmiTélé2022Allo, voici mon pénis - Documentaire - Crave / Canal vie
Amour sans limites - Série documentaire - Crave / Canal vie
Cocaïne, prison & likes - Série documentaire - Crave
Havana II - Série documentaire - Quebecor (Vrai et Évasion)
Évaporés: Victoria Charlton enquête - Série documentaire - Quebecor (Vrai et Addik)
Facteur de l'espace - Série d'animation jeunesse - Radio-Canada
Jour de gloire - Live unitaire - Arte
Revue mordante 2022 - Humour - Plateforme SRC Mordu
Une fois c't'un noir - Documentaire - Crave / Noovo / Canal D
Louis T veut savoir II - Série documentaire - Savoir média
Dans l'ombre du Star wars kid - Série documentaire - Télé-Québec
Quelles familles! - Série documentaire - UNIS
La fin des faibles II - Variété - Télé-Québec
Le début des forts - Capsules documentaires - Télé-Québec
Le Québec dans le garde-Manger - Capsules documentaires - Plateforme SRC Mordu
Ma ville aux rayons X - Série documentaire - Savoir média
Peut contenir des traces de blagues - Balados - Télé-Québec
Fragments - Série documentaire - ARTE