Former Cossette VPs launch new shop

Two members of Cossette’s national management team have opened a new creative agency called Will Creative Inc.

Nick Richards, previously VP creative director, and Ute Preusse, previously VP strategic planning, left Cossette Vancouver in December after seven years to “pursue an agency model based on their observations around an effective path to creative results in today’s marketing landscape,” according to a press release.

The agency’s client list so far includes Nature’s Path Foods, the Vancouver Art Gallery, Squamish Valley Music Festival, Ostara and Hootsuite.

The two describe Will as a creative agency, not an advertising agency. Their focus is on “strategic and creative brand development with a strong sense of purpose and emotional connection,” the release said. That involve “exploring what’s right for the brand, whether traditional communications or unconventional marketing, with delivery by Will or specialist partners with equal will.”

Along with dropping egos for better collaboration, the two say the agency will be built on the principle of “partnership and ultimately ownership” – in other words, providing agency staff the opportunity to become partners.

The team so far includes folks from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Paris and British Columbia.

Jenn Hicks, previously with St. Bernadine, Cossette and The&Partnership, joined Will in December as full-time senior creative. As of February Nicola Poskitt, previously also at Cossette, joined Will as an account manager and planner.