Hires, promotions and other news
Laura Serra and Meredith Klapowich have been made co-creative directors at Narrative, new roles for the agency. They will now lead all creative work for Narrative as part of an integrated creative team that supports Narrative, Bensimon Byrne and OneMethod across a range of disciplines including public relations, social media, experiential, advertising and digital. Serra, a former Globe and Mail columnist, joined Narrative in 2011 as director of lifestyle brands, while Klapowich joined Bensimon Byrne in 2005. Klapowich worked as an account director, including launching the Joe Fresh brand, before transitioning into creative as an art director. In 2014, the pair became the senior creative team supporting clients at Narrative, Bensimon and OneMethod, including Cactus Club Café, Aldo, Jackson-Triggs, Grey Goose, Reitmans, Blistex, Red Bull, Bayer and Google Canada.
Ketchum Public Relations has added three to its Toronto office and made a senior promotion. Cathleen Finlay has been hired as a senior account executive. She has previously held roles at Hill + Knowlton Strategies, the City of Toronto and CTV. Jake McCann and Michaela DiMarcantonio, both recent graduates, have also joined as account coordinators. Meanwhile, the shop has also promoted Erin Manning, previously VP, brand marketing, to senior VP.
Hill + Knowlton Strategies has launched Cities + Infrastructure, a new service dedicated to infrastructure communications, providing stakeholder risk assessment and mitigation and helping build public and political support needed to complete large scale projects.
New business
Veritas Communications has been named public relations AOR for British Columbia’s Royal Roads University. The assignment will be led out of the shop’s Vancouver office, working in partnership with marketing agency Will Creative. It will also work closely with the university’s internal communications team, including on influencer marketing and PR to drive awareness of the brand in Canada and internationally. Veritas’ Vancouver office opened in February, with Royal Roads marking its first major local business win. Its other clients in Vancouver include Best Buy, Microsoft, Subway and Labatt.
Toronto’s Zenergy Communications has been named AOR for the market launch of Delivery Plus, a pick-up and delivery app debuting in Los Angeles. The campaign will include strategy development and the execution of an integrated media relations and social media plan along with multiple experiential marketing events, throughout LA, aimed at both drivers and customers.
Canadian gaming company Throwback Entertainment has made Carlaw Communications its AOR, its first PR partner. Carlaw is tasked with all PR activity for the brand in Canada, including media and influencer strategy and relations.
Media
Kelly Clark has been named global CEO at GroupM. Clark was North American CEO at the owner group from 2012 to 2015 before stepping down last fall for personal reasons. He is the first global CEO for GroupM since Irwin Gotlieb held the post before moving to the role of chairman in 2012.
Former Twitter exec Kirstine Stewart has joined London, Ont.-based entertainment and lifestyle media company Diply is its first chief strategy officer.
Sears Canada has moved its media business to MediaCom Canada. Prior to signing with MediaCom Canada, Sears Canada had worked with Dentsu Aegis Network agency Vizeum.
