Circo de Bakuza first came to life as a collective centered on the work of artist Carlito Dalceggio. It was in 2009, when Vincent Drolet partnered with Julie Brassard and Roshan Soomarchun, that it became fully fledged branding and experiential marketing agency. Now the Montreal–based company produces events and handles graphic design and art direction for projects like the launch of Carolina Herrera’s 212 VIP Men fragrance, the Dubai International Film Festival, and the draw for the final tournament of the Union of European Football Associations European Football Championship.
Drolet and his team take a theatrical approach to their work, drawing from the company’s artistic background and experience working on events for Cirque du Soleil to stage immersive environments often complete with costumes, entertainment, and musical elements. At Bell Canada’s annual gala fund-raiser in October, performers built a surreal vehicle called “the Dream Machine” during the reception, finding cogs scattered around the room. Once completed, the contraption was driven into the dining room, signaling the start of the main event.
“All guests at events will experience the night in a different way,” Drolet says, “so we always have different levels of interaction—our story must then have depth and reach.”