Case Study: Buzzfeed Canada

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The Challenge

BuzzFeed—then the cultural epicenter of the internet—needed a Canadian production partner to deliver branded content for global advertisers. Campaigns varied widely in scale and format, but every one had to feel authentic, culturally relevant, and fast to market.

The ask was clear: be the production services engine that could handle everything from quick-turn social experiments to scripted, trend-driven comedy.

The Approach

We built a flexible production framework that could expand or contract based on campaign needs:

• Tier 1: Agile, low-budget social experiments. Vlog-style, experiential shoots—often captured by our own team in a scrappy, authentic style that resonated with BuzzFeed’s audience.

• Tier 2: Unscripted studio conversations. Two- or three-camera shoots featuring unscripted interviews, cultural dialogues, or playful challenges (e.g., rap battles for Listerine, or Mother’s Day “mom tropes” for Amazon). We managed casting, payments, and full pre-production support, often serving as an extension of BuzzFeed’s agency team.

• Tier 3: Scripted comedy and branded narratives. Larger, pop-culture–driven productions tapping into cultural vocabulary (“adulting,” foodie culture, etc.). These included complex shoots with wranglers, food stylists, and bilingual casting, and often showcased major brands like Wendy’s.

• Tasty Canada: In parallel, we delivered bilingual recipe videos and cooking challenges under BuzzFeed’s food brand, expanding their global franchise into the Canadian market.

Across all tiers, our role went beyond crew and gear—we participated in creative calls, built pre-pro decks, and handled logistics end-to-end so BuzzFeed’s creative teams could focus on ideas.

The Execution

Produced hundreds of branded videos across multiple tiers and formats.

Managed casting, talent payments, and bilingual execution, ensuring content felt authentically Canadian.

Delivered nimble studio productions that maximized efficiency without sacrificing polish.

Acted as a full-service partner, handling everything from scrappy run-and-gun shoots to large-scale, scripted comedy.

The Outcome

  • Helped BuzzFeed Canada establish itself as one of the most recognizable media brands in the country, producing videos that became cultural flashpoints online.
  • Contributed to some of the most viral branded content on the internet, reaching millions of viewers across platforms.
  • Enabled BuzzFeed to scale its branded content model in Canada with a reliable, flexible, and culturally attuned partner.
“Corbin Visual wasn’t just a vendor—they were our production backbone in Canada, helping us move at the speed of culture.” – BuzzFeed Canada

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