Rethink Communications has added a second creative director to its Toronto office with the promotion of copywriter Chris Booth, a move that reflects the Vancouver-based agency’s increasing focus on its Toronto business.
Booth, who joined Rethink Toronto last year, will share creative director duties with incumbent Dre Labre. The pair previously worked together at DDB, when Booth was a writer for that agency’s primary office and Labre served as creative director of its interactive wing, Tribal DDB.
Pema Hegan, partner and managing director at Rethink Toronto, said the 30-year-old Booth brings versatility – and chemistry with Labre – to his new role.
“[Booth] is as comfortable sitting down to develop strategy with clients as he is working on digital projects as he is writing TV scripts,” said Hegan. “He’s that kind of 360-degree, multi-talented creative person you want in a CD position.
“I think Chris and Dre’s skill sets work really well together, so on some projects I think we’ll see them co-creative directing together and using each other’s strengths. On other projects, they’re going to split up and work by themselves.”
Booth’s promotion comes just two months after Rethink laid off 23 employees, 22 of whom worked in its Vancouver office. Agency co-founder Chris Staples said at the time that the layoffs signalled the firm’s belief that the Toronto market offered more growth potential, a position Hegan reinforced yesterday.
“The Toronto office is growing very quickly and this appointment reflects that,” said Hegan. “We’ve got so much work coming out of clients like Bell, Metro and Kraft that we just needed more creative direction horsepower.”
