This September, four self-described ‘media mavericks’ announced the launch of a new Montreal-based agency they dubbed Amen. Barely a month later, the start-up announced its first major client win: Sleeman Quebec. What is this shop doing right?

Co-founder Carl Grenier won’t divulge anything about the pitch that won the account away from Montreal-based Diesel, Sleeman Quebec’s AOR for the last eight years. Whatever the idea, it was enough to beat out competing agencies LG2, Alfred and Arthur & Merlin.

The group presents an interesting mix of marketing and advertising backgrounds and a wealth of entrepreneurial drive. Grenier founded the indoor advertising network Zoom Media in 1991, and sold the company to Telemedia in November 2002. CD Nicolas Massey was a co-founder and CD at Montreal’s 18 Février. VP development Marc Levasseur worked in the New York and Puerto Rico offices of Zoom Media before founding Eau Média. Art director Carl Robichaud has previously served as a freelance CD with clients including Molson, Bell Mobilité, Banque Nationale, Place Laurier and l’Orchestre Symphonique de Québec.

‘We don’t want to reinvent the mission but our concept is to centralize our operation around the creative,’ says Grenier. ‘We will still focus on the business side also. Sometimes the people forget about the issue or the goal for the clients, but we need to understand what they want to do.’

Strategy caught up with a busy Grenier for a few quick questions.

What’s the hardest part about opening your own agency?

Opening is easy. It’s staying in business that’s tough. You have to take care of your clients, keep on track, keep on target and stay focused. That’s the tough part.

What are the most crucial industry challenges that have emerged in Quebec over the past year?

I think we have the same challenges as creatives in Paris or Italy or B.C. or Toronto – good creative, a good story, and the product needs be central. If we have those three ingredients, then there will be good ads.

What’s the best campaign in Quebec right now and why?

Familiprix, with ‘Ah! Ha!’ It’s amazing. One idea and they created a new lexicon, a new world. It’s like an inside joke now. They created a new way to talk.

What’s the worst campaign in Quebec right now and why?

Advertising for cosmetics, for skin care, or for diapers. They seem to be all the same. Each one is a carbon copy of the other: beautiful models and drab product demonstrations. It’s boring and lacking in creativity.

Why ‘Amen’?

In Hebrew it means ‘yes’ in terms of engagement, in terms of commitment, like ‘I do’ or ‘I will take care.’ That’s why you see ‘Amen’ at the end of something. It’s the only word you can say in 165 countries – it’s a universal word. In francophone, it’s less religious than the anglophone. Here it’s a dictionary term; it’s not a religious term.