…Bank of Montreal is dumping the mbanx name and bringing electronic banking under the corporate umbrella as Canada’s other major financial institutions have done. Bank of Montreal First Bank Direct is among the names being bandied about for the remote access product. First Bank is a brand the bank has used for a number of its products since the 1970s.

…Molson Breweries is looking at U.S. shops during its review process because it’s said the brewer wants to build Molson Canadian into a strong North American brand and would like one agency to handle both sides of the border. Lacklustre performance in the U.S. last year has partner Miller Brewing looking to resuscitate Molson’s flagship brand. Where Molson exports to the U.S. declined by 5% last year, stateside sales by major competitor Labatt ballooned by 16%.

…Brandworks, one of Toronto’s most sought after boutique agencies, has lured away the co-creative team from rival Cundari Group. Rob Worling and Michel Lang, who left an impression with recent work for BMW, have already handed in their walking papers, and will make their debut at Brandwork’s Adelaide St. offices on Monday, June 21.

…Canada’s TV broadcasters will be under close scrutiny from media buyers and advertisers in the wake of a CRTC decision that loosened restrictions on the amount of advertising the casters can carry. Clutter the airwaves with one more commercial second than you’re allowed and we’ll report you to the CRTC, say media buyers tired of what they consider long-term abuse.

But traditional TV broadcasters could care less about losing advertisers fed-up with commercial clutter, says one insider, because they know they have a mature product and are milking it for all it’s worth. They’re hoping to regain share they’re losing to specialty channels and other media with the advent of digital television.

…With strategic planning the main focus of the heavyweight media account reviews underway (Rogers, Kellogg, Coca-Cola), the big issue now is ‘spec’ media, say agency hopefuls. Like their creative counterparts before them, a lot of time and effort is being expended on these ‘spec’ presentations – a major undertaking for the low-profit-margin end of the business.