After Ron Tite relinquished his role as vice-president and creative director of Sharpe Blackmore Euro RSCG in February, chairman Bill Sharpe hinted that the agency might consider reworking the CD position entirely.
That reworking was made official Monday as the Toronto agency announced a series of personnel appointments that includes the hiring of Graham Mutch, 39, and Jamie Lirette, 40, as co-creative directors.
The other appointments announced Monday see Jeff Plowman assume the newly created position of chief strategic officer, and Matt Cammaert become the agency’s VP, director of client services.
The four will oversee the day-to-day operations of the agency, reporting into Sharpe and agency president Tom Blackmore.
Speaking with Marketing, Cammaert characterized Plowman as a “seasoned advertising executive,” who boasts “a wealth of experience” across multiple account categories. Plowman joined Sharpe Blackmore in 2007 after spending five years as managing director of McCann Erickson Japan. Before that he was VP account director at DDB Downtown.
In his new role, Cammaert – who has spent roughly eight years of his professional career with Sharpe Blackmore, including the past five – will lead the agency’s account services team, with responsibility for the agency’s entire client portfolio.
“This is about putting together a collaborative team with Jeff, myself, Jamie and Graham,” said Cammaert. “The team was built to service our client base and grow the client base.”
Formerly with Cossette, where they produced campaigns for clients including Bell, BMO and McDonald’s in a nine-year stint that sandwiched a stop at Ogilvy & Mather, Mutch (copywriter) and Lirette (art director) have been partners for more than 11 years.
“Longer than most marriages,” said Lirette.
“A sexless marriage,” added Mutch.
“We’ve spent so much time together, you have to be friends and you have to genuinely like each other in order to make the work better and really make that relationship work,” said Lirette of his longtime collaborator. “I know absolutely that Graham’s got my back and I’ve got his.”
The duo’s agency experience includes everything from brand advertising and retail to online and direct, a category in which they have been shortlisted twice at the International Advertising Festival in Cannes.
“Back in the day everyone was saying ‘specialize, specialize, specialize,’ but now it’s an integrated world,” said Mutch. “The consumer doesn’t see the silos that we tend to see in the industry.
“Sharpe is a truly integrated agency and a really good match for our skill set; the first time we met with senior management it really clicked. We actually passed up an opportunity that paid a little more because we believed in the chemistry and the opportunity here.”
Asked to share their perception of Sharpe Blackmore before arriving in February, the pair described it as an agency that has traditionally flown under the radar. “When we actually got in here and examined the type of work that they do and the strategic approach they bring, it’s a fantastic agency with a fantastic client base,” said Lirette.
Monday’s personnel appointments coincided with the formal announcement that Havas Worldwide has launched a Canadian office of its Euro RSCG Discovery network – which specializes in direct response advertising – to service a new undisclosed client in the retail sector.
