Hires and promotions
Citoyen Optimum, a PR firm based in Quebec, has hired France-Michèle Thomas as an account director, where she will serve as a strategic advisor to the agency’s clients.
Toronto PR firm Punch Canada has made one promotion and four hires, while adding Merit Travel to its roster of travel clients. After two years with the firm, Annie Hennessey has been promoted from account manager to account director, where she will lead on the Booking.com account. Kara Latta joined in January to serve as account director to lead the Ontario Parks and OK Tire accounts and supporting others. In April, Punch also brought on Sabrine Elejel and Emily Wilchesky as consultants.
New business
Following a competitive search, agency Republic has won a mandate with Insurance For Children, a financial planning for children company based in Toronto. Republic will develop a brand strategy and integrated campaign expected to launch this summer.
Montreal’s Made In, a PR agency specializing in influencer and content marketing, has recently added three clients to its roster. It recently worked with MITO Sushi to increase brand awareness in Quebec, with Italian beer brand Peroni to establish its presence in the province, and with Montreal-based footwear line Anfibio to promote an upcoming collection.
Other news
Toronto PR agency The Colony Project has evolved its two-year-old The Common Good Project – a workshop offering start-ups free strategic communications counsel – after having only received male applicants last year. This year, the program will specifically help female entrepreneurs hone their PR and marketing skills.
Media
The Dentsu Aegis Network released its latest ad spend forecasts this week, predicting moderate growth stemming from modest gains in digital. Major events including the PyeongChang Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup will result in more of a reallocation of ad spend than substantial growth, according to the network (for Media in Canada subscribers).
Twitter Canada has found a replacement for managing director Rory Capern, who left the company 10 months ago. Paul Burns, former managing director of Huge, takes on the role in July. Meanwhile, Leanne Gibson, Twitter Canada’s former head of agency, has been named head of revenue for the company (for Media in Canada subscribers).
A new partnership with see content from The Wall Street Journal published in the Toronto Star. The paper will begin publishing some articles in print and will launch Star Business Journal, a new section for print and online. The news follows Postmedia’s decision to launch a new online cannabis publication (for Media in Canada subscribers).
