The leaders of Bleublancrouge and its affiliated businesses have created Groupe Police which, on its surface, appears to be a contradiction in terms — a holding company dedicated to “serving and protecting” independent agencies.
In addition to the Montreal-based Bleublancrouge, the new umbrella company encompasses the digitally focused U92 (which, despite sharing its president with Bleublancrouge, has remained only loosely affiliated with it until now) and L’Institut Idée (a marketing think tank joint venture with Bleublancrouge and Toronto companies Wunderkind and Scientific Intelligence).
Jean-Sébastien Monty (pictured left) and Sébastien Fauré, the president and CEO of Bleublancrouge, respectively, have created Groupe Police as part holding company and part service provider to the businesses within it.
Aside from the three founding companies that have been testing the new model for the better part of a year, Monty told Marketing there have been discussions with “two or three” additional agencies interested in joining.
Beyond the three founding companies (which Fauré and Monty already own), Groupe Police would hold a minority stake in its constituent agencies just like any traditional holding company might. This will keep control of member businesses with their founders, which Groupe Police would support with services designed to strengthen them as independent players.
For the most part, Monty said, this will mean taking on non-core portions of agency businesses — administration, mentorship and networking — freeing agencies up to focus on their creative and strategic output.
“A lot of times in our industry, with creatives, having to deal with finances and billings is kind of a pain; they’d rather do what they’re good at. We’ll also be providing coaching, because a lot of these people don’t have anyone they can turn to for advice.”
In a statement, Fauré said because an increasing number of Quebec’s agencies are now controlled by holdcos in Toronto, New York or Beijing, “the next generation of entrepreneurs has never been in greater need of support and encouragement… Our field needs a new wave of daring, talented business builders to replace those who have sold their interests,” Fauré said. “We want to help entrepreneurs become powerful more quickly so that Quebec does not get left behind while our industry evolves at lightning speed.”
While Groupe Police is launching in Montreal, Monty said it is open to hearing from agencies in Ontario and beyond.
