Gaëtan Namouric has left Bleublancrouge in Montreal as head of creative thinking and agency partner, and has launched his own company called Perrier Jablonski.
Namouric was with Bleublancrouge for 11 years, first as a copywriter and then as a creative director.
“I’m not forming an agency. This is neither a new agency or a consulting firm. It is between both,” Namouric says.
Perrier Jablonski aims to turn Quebec into “a hub of innovation.”
“Clients are facing challenges in technology,” Namouric says. “Their job is more complicated than ever. And nobody is here to help them figure out what is good for them and what is not, what’s ready when it’s not ready yet, what’s a trend. This is why I decided to create that approach and not do it inside an agency because an agency has something to sell.”
Namouric says he has an agreement to work with Bleublancrouge and U92 clients.
Namouric says he plans to continue the creative thinking approach he developed at Bleublancrouge – an approach that was “with the client, not for the client.”
He adds he has no answer as to what the Perrier Jablonski name means, other than what it evokes in people’s minds.
Perrier Jablonski is currently ensconced in the Queen St. offices of consulting firm F. & Co in Montreal. Namouric is operating a one-man show, but plans to have a few employees next year once he figures out what disciplines are required to serve his approach.
Bleublancrouge CEO Sébastien Fauré says Bleublancrouge has been preparing for Namouric’s departure for several months. Its creative team will be under the leadership of creative director Jonathan Rouxel and several follow-up announcements will be made in the coming weeks, he says.
Fauré says Namouric played a key role in the growth of Bleublancrouge, with work of international calibre, including campaigns like “Words Matter” for The Montreal Gazette, the Proxim “moms” and Richard the Toyota Quebec Dealers tow-truck operator. He also played a significant role for brands such as Air France-KLM, SICO, the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and Ubisoft Canada.
Namouric established an enduring culture of excellence, Fauré says. “He will clearly remain a friend of the agency and maintain a number of client collaborations in the coming years.”
“Bleublancrouge was a lifetime experience,” Namouric says, adding Fauré helped him with his departure.
Namouric says he is leaving with his “mind at ease.” He notes Bleublancrouge’s creative talent and strategic level are higher than ever and last October’s arrival of Jean-Sébastien Monty, as Bleublancrouge managing director as well as U92 president, ensures continued success for the agency. “I am proud to remain close to this family.”
