Serges Tougas, senior partner and chairman of Montreal’s bleublancrouge, died late last week. A talented creative force, he was behind many of the most important ad campaigns and television shows to come out of Québec.

A highlight of Tougas’ advertising career was writing the memorable slogan ‘Tout le monde s’attache au Québec’ as part of the province’s first seatbelt awareness campaign. As creative director, he produced countless major campaigns including: ‘Travel in peace’ for the MTC, ‘Hommage à la vie’, the last televised appearance of Fernand Seguin, and ‘Hommage à la langue’ – the only ad to win Québec’s coveted Coq d’or. He also oversaw such memorable campaigns as ‘Grosse cervelle, p’tite Tercel,’ ‘No, Thanks’ for Loto-Québec’s Extra, and ‘Taxer les livres, c’est imposer l’ignorance.’

Before joining bleublancrouge 20 years ago, Tougas was CD at Cabana Séguin, BCP, MacLaren and Vickers & Benson. To honour his memory, the agency has created the Serges-Tougas Scholarship, which will be given each year to a promising young creative.

Among Tougas’ television creations was ‘Les cent tours de Centour’, an educational television show on Télé-Québec that touched an entire generation.