TBWAToronto has hired Anthony Wolch as its new executive creative director.
Wolch, a Winnipeg native, spent the last two years as executive creative director of Publicis Helsinki. He moved there from Publicis Toronto, where, as a senior art director, he worked on Walmart’s “Taken from the streets of London” campaign to launch the George fashion line.
Wolch also worked at FCB Direct, Saatchi & Saatchi and JWT Toronto. Brands in his portfolio include Kellogg’s, Kraft and Pepsi.
During his time in Finland, Wolch worked on brands such as Coke and Helsinki Energy, and had a brush with celebrity as a guest host of Suomen huippumalli haussa—Searching for Finland’s Top Model.
Much of his job involved what he called “network chess.”
“I was doing pan-European pitches out of Vienna, global pitches out of Paris, Zurich and London and doing a lot of traveling,” Wolch said.
A little over a month ago, he returned to Canada for a visit and met with Jay Bertram, president of TBWACanada, at the suggestion of an acquaintance within the agency.
He was impressed by how integrated digital was across the entire office, a rarity in North America, said Wolch.
“We don’t have a radio department; why would any agency have a web department?” Wolch asked.
“Why is it that the bigger networks in this country see it as a important point to have a digital department? We have 85 brand ambassadors in this building and the price of entry to work in this office is web literacy and digital passion… We will be the first network [owned] office in this country to prove that that works.”
Wolch will give TBWA “a lot more bench strength and courage to develop breakthrough ideas in the [digital] arena,” said Bertram.
Wolch began on Monday, taking over the leadership role previously held by creative director Joe Amaral, who is still with the agency.
“As a creative director I felt like I’d done all I could do,” said Amaral. “The place needs to have more energy, someone who’s more plugged into the world stage. Certainly where Anthony’s coming from, Helsinki, is a digital hurricane.”
Amaral retains the title of creative director, but “day to day, I’d just like to be a regular art director… It would be nice to have someone else to lead the place. We’re pretty good, but we need to get better. He’s been here a week and he’s made me excited.”
