Ogilvy has made five new hires across its design and creative departments in its Montréal and Toronto offices to keep pace with changing demands.

In Montréal, the agency brought on Julie Gélinas (pictured above, left) as creative director, design and Sébastian Legault (right) as a senior graphic designer – both of which are net new roles. Gélinas most recently spent over four years on the creative team at Cossette, while Legault has had stints at the likes of Lg2, Bleublancrouge and Forsman & Bodenfors during his years as a freelancer.

In her new role, Gélinas will be tasked with improving and growing Ogilvy Montreal’s design department and its overall vision, with Legault to support the increased design work demand, primarily in Quebec.

The agency’s investment reflects the expanding remit of design throughout the consumer journey. “It’s not just about making something look great at the end of the process – it’s about engagement across the board,” says David Aubert, CEO of Ogilvy’s Montreal and Quebec City offices. “Design helps marketers offer a stronger customer experience and differentiates brands to create greater value in their offering – that’s why we are continuing to strengthen our creative team.”

Back in Toronto, the agency has brought on Amber Hsu (pictured below, right) and Clayton Whelan (centre) as art directors, with Kiana Robson joining as a copywriter. Hsu joins from Smaller Agency, Whelan returns to Canada after a stint at Tribal Australia and Robson was most recently at Zulu Alpha Kilo.

John Killam, CEO of Ogilvy Toronto, says the agency continues to be cost-conscious amid a tough business environment, but needed to expand to keep up with current work that’s been accelerating on a number of fronts this year. The impact of the pandemic in Q2 forced Ogilvy Canada to cut costs on non-salary fronts, and while budget-trimming measures initially included reducing hours for some contract team members, those individuals have since been re-instated.