Montreal agency BCP is folding its media operations into Starcom MediaVest Group Canada (SMG), effective immediately.
The announcement comes on the heels of the December merger between the media agencies’ sister creative shops, BCP and Publicis Canada.
That merger was announced two years after Publicis Canada chairman Yves Gougoux sold his 100% stake in BCP to Publicis Worldwide, a unit of French holding company Publicis Groupe.
The deal gives SMG its first official presence in Quebec, consolidating what chief operating officer Anne Myers described as a “strategic collaboration” between the two agencies that began in 2013.
“We have every intention of making it a stronger overall national entity for our clients,” said Myers. “We’ve serviced Quebec clients out of Toronto very successfully, but having people on the ground who are experts in the market can only elevate us.”
The deal also provides BCP with access to SMG’s tools and resources, said Myers.
“Their core media group was strong in the Quebec marketplace, but there was an opportunity to make it even stronger by being part of a global network,” said Myers, who will temporarily oversee SMG Montreal until the integration process is complete.
BCP has been without a general manager since longtime leader Carol Ann Kairns, who spent 25 years with the agency, departed for a sales role with Corus Média in May 2014.
SMG Montreal currently has seven employees. There will be no job losses as a result of the merger, said Myers.
Publicis Montreal president Alain Tadros said the newest consolidation enables the agency to bring “greater expertise” to the Quebec market, providing respective clients with what he described as an “in-depth pool of resources, best-in-class talents and tools, and more robust insights.” These assets will drive greater results and efficiency, he said.
“We are excited about the opportunity we now have with a fully integrated entity to develop a truly transformative media agency model,” said SMG Canada’s newly appointed CEO Alex Panousis in a release.
“BCP’s media operations have a strong history in the Quebec marketplace, and together we can provide deeper insights to drive the architecture of connected experiences that will resonate with consumers.”
