TBWA\Toronto has added 10 new members to its creative team, hires that chief creative officer Jack Neary attributes to increased client activity and the establishment of core agency values.
Since joining TBWA\Toronto last September after a stint with BBDO in New York, Neary has swelled the agency’s creative ranks to 19.
The new team members are associate creative directors Jonathan Smith, Don Embree and Bart Smith, art directors Jason Lee and Dan Bache, senior copywriter Michelle Spivak, copywriters Matt Williamson and Francesco Grandi and designers Kelly Ferguson and Gui Bermejo.
Aside from Bermejo, who had been an intern at TBWA, all of the recent additions came from other agencies, including Taxi 2, The Hive and Leo Burnett.
Neary said the boost in creative staff was necessary to meet the needs of existing clients such as Nissan and Visa Canada.
“Organic growth is probably the most gratifying because it shows the confidence of our clients,” said Neary. “And it’s enabled us to add some new talent.”
Neary said the new staff members reflect TBWA\Toronto’s core values, which he described as including a client-first focus, an emphasis on teamwork and curiosity.
“One of the things we preach to our clients is clearly defining what the client brand believes in and stands for, and ensuring that the behaviours of that brand are consistent with the brand beliefs,” said Neary. “We decided to take a bit of our own medicine and do that for ourselves.
“It helps make a culture stronger when you have a clear set of values to guide you.”
