Matt Hassell (pictured) has left his post as the CCO at Forsman & Bodenfors to launch his own independent agency.

Called Ultralight Creative, the new endeavour will offer consultation and creative services for brand, social and digital advertising, as well as Web3 and multiverse marketing, aiming to “harness” the “swell of activity and creativity happening out in the world,” Hassell tells strategy.

Hassell has 22 years of experience as a digital and brand expert, including 11 years in high-level creative roles not only for Forsman & Bodenfors, but also OgilvyOne and Kbs+ Canada. But he has been wanting to break out on his own, and in the wake of the pandemic with the aforementioned groundswell of creativity, “it’s now or never,” he says.

“I’m building Ultralight to meet clients where they are and get them to where they want to be, whether they need a new campaign, a rebrand, to try a new strategic or creative approach, or to venture into new platforms or media,” Hassell says. “Brands work very hard to differentiate themselves from their competition, so it follows that they should expect and deserve a bespoke solution.”

Currently, Ultralight has only the one permanent employee – Hassell himself. But the agency has been taking on work for several clients it will be announcing soon, and Hassell has been working on a contract basis with talent to deliver on his clients’ demands.

Though he describes the act of launching an agency entirely solo as “nerve-wracking,” he says it is “the right move for me now.”

“Part of the nature of great creativity is taking a leap of faith like this, and if I’m being honest, I also think the best creative in Canada is coming from independent shops,” he adds. Layering that with the energy of talents in the Web3 space will only build on that entrepreneurial spirit, producing something that “a lot of brands can benefit from.”