Hires and promotions
Critical Mass president Chris Gokiert will become CEO of the agency in January 2021, replacing Dianne Wilkins as she prepares to transition into a chair role. Gokiert, who has been with the agency for 22 years and president since 2009, will continue to be based in Calgary while spending time working in each of the agency’s 12 offices globally.
Zulu Alpha Kilo has hired Jessica Hill as business group director, joining the agency’s senior leadership team. Hill had previously been at Zulu from 2008 to 2010, leading the agency’s Bell account, and also previously worked with founder and CCO Zak Mroueh at Taxi on its Canadian Tire, Telus and Viagra work. Returning to agency, she will once again lead the Bell account, but will also use her background in design to lead and manage Zulu’s design practice in partnership with CD Ryan Booth, who was promoted last year. During her time away from Zulu, Hill has been at Newfoundland-based agency Target and ran her own photography company.
Nata PR has promoted Vanessa Bower to senior account manager and Amanda Zeidenberg as account coordinator.
Ruth Douglas has brought back Victoria Procunier as VP of sales and marketing, focusing on managing and growing the company’s earned media production services and Media Ratings Points (MRP) earned media measurement system.
New business
Rock-it Promotions has picked up five new clients, including Peloton and Knixwear. For up-and-coming at home fitness brand Peloton, Rock-it will develope and activate a PR strategy to help the brand sustain growth in the Canadian marketplace. For intimates brand Knixwear, it will lead overall brand communications, including national media relations, events and activations, partnerships and influencer engagement. The agency has also picked up PR assignments with watch and accessories brand Daniel Wellington, health and wellness brand Organika and language learning app Babbel.
Mint has been named the AOR for experiential marketing in Canada for Corby Spirit & Wine, servicing all of the alcohol manufacturer and distributor’s brands – which include Wiser’s, Polar Ice, Hiram Walker and and Pike Creek – for tactics including guerrilla marketing, sponsorship activation and experiential.
Toronto-based production company Someplace Nice has opened an office in Montreal. The company’s partners Estelle Weir and Chilo Fletcher will work with executive producer Sach Baylin-Stern to head up the Montreal shop.
