Toronto-based agency Zig has become CPB Canada, absorbed into MDC Partners’ Crispin Porter + Bogusky. The announcement was made at noon today and takes effect immediately, with staffers already trading in their Zig business cards for shiny new CPB Canada cards.

‘This is a fantastic opportunity for everybody here at our office to really pursue what has made us great so far and that is the work,’ says Shelley Brown, who is shifting roles from Zig president to CEO of CPB Canada. ‘This will give us resources that we couldn’t otherwise access as an agency of 100 people.’

None of Zig’s 115 employees will face layoffs, but Brown says the eight remaining employees at Zig’s Chicago office will be relocated to positions within CPB or MDC, as the branch will be shut down by the end of the summer. ‘It really doesn’t make sense for us to have another office in the US at this point,’ she says.

Brown says the CPB banner is a natural fit for her team. ‘Zig and CPB have been philosophically twins,’ she says. ‘We both have always focused on the idea and refused to be limited by the form that idea might take, and have really been interested in pursuing the best possible work on behalf of our clients. The approach won’t change and nor will the staff.’

On that note, Zig chairman Andy Macaulay will stay on board as chairman of CPB Canada, while Aaron Starkman becomes executive creative director.

Founded in 1999, Zig has been part of MDC since 2004, with major clients including Molson, IKEA, Best Buy, Unilever and Pfizer.