Zig has promoted Martin Beauvais to the newly created role of executive creative director, putting him in charge of all agency creative output.
Beauvais said the new title reflects his broadening responsibilities, which now includes overseeing work from the Toronto and Chicago offices, and facilitating smoother workflow between the two locations.
But he also wants to create a structure where creative staff “will have an impact on more than just the ad they’re doing now. I want them to start mentoring young teams and making sure they’re developing.”
Formerly creative director, Beauvais was given the new title last Thursday.
He says he has made it his personal mission to spread the word that Zig is more than just an ad shop. “This title will formalize the idea that Zig is not an ad agency or design firm or web shop,” says Beauvais. “Zig is a place where a client comes and thinks they need an ad and they may walk away with a shopping bag. My background is a lot of design and web, so my goal in all of this is to make sure we’re media neutral.”
Reporting to Beauvais will be Aaron Starkman and Stephen Leps, creative directors in Toronto who oversee the Molson account, Kevin Lynch, creative director in Chicago, as well as Lorraine Tao and Elspeth Lynn, agency partners who scaled back their creative director duties to do account work as a creative team in 2006.
Zig currently has more than 70 staff between its two offices, including 10 in Chicago. Its client list currently includes Molson, Ikea and Virgin.
