As Taxi‘s executive creator director Steve Mykolyn went into work Friday, he noticed a light-up sign showing the temperature: 15 below zero. What a coincidence, he thought, that I see that today of all days. It’s a coincidence because his 15 Below jacket for the homeless helped put his agency in the limelight last year. It’s also a coincidence because on Friday he took over as chief creative officer from the man who co-founded the company, Paul Lavoie.
Lavoie will remain the company’s chairman, according to a statement issued Jan. 16. Mykolyn is now charged with overseeing the creative integrity of Taxi’s six offices, which serve clients such as Mini, Pfizer and Telus. Mykolyn will report to both Lavoie and Taxi CEO Rob Guenette.
Mykolyn joined the agency as creative director, interactive and design in 2001.
“Talks with Paul started in December,” Mykolyn said. “I wanted to get into it with sage advice from our founder. We’re going to have a very close working relationship.”
Mykolyn wants to have an equally close relationship with the executive creative directors who will now work under him—Stéphane Charier, Lance Martin, Ron Smrczek and Darren Clarke, who took over Mykolyn’s vacated role. “I want to create a similar scenario to what I had in Toronto with myself and four CDs. I want to take that style of involvement across the network.”
Lavoie is expected to maintain some involvement in creative decisions, Mykolyn said, but will focus on business development and company vision.
“Steve’s diverse background in design, interactive, branding and interactive exemplify Taxi’s commitment to multi-disciplinary creative,” said Lavoie in a statement. “He’s an inspiration.”
