Folk co-founders Claudia Milord, EVP and managing director; Joannie Denault, EVP of brand strategy; and Fanny Chabot, EVP of brand strategy will continue to lead their brand consultancy as it joins the Tadiem network.

Creative collective Tadiem Inc. – the parent company of Bensimon Byrne, Narrative and OneMethod – is adding a fourth division to its business with the acquisition of Montreal-based brand strategy consultancy Folk.

Adding Folk to the mix brings a “regional perspective, which is critically important” to the collective, according to Sarah Spence, CEO of Tadiem, which to this point has been servicing its clients from Toronto, where its other divisions are all headquartered. It also enables Tadiem “to really double down on our roots in areas such as brand strategy, which are critical for our clients right now as they think about how to tell their stories,” Spence says.

The acquisition is, in some ways, the formalization of a partnership that began to come together after Tadiem and Folk first started to collaborate in 2019. The network and consultancy had worked together on various clients through the pandemic, and “we thought we would formalize this,” said Spence.

It was a good match, according to Joannie Denault, co-founder and EVP of brand strategy at Folk.

“When we founded Folk seven years ago, it was because we believed in the power of brand strategy to really bring forward business results and help solve communications and business problems. And when we met the team at Tadiem, we really saw that they also believed in that, and were doing it in a collaborative way,” she tells strategy. “We connect on the importance and power of brand strategy, but also the importance of creativity, collaboration and independence. That was something core to Folk from the beginning, having the space to have an independent mind and thinking, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be collaborating.”

In the coming months, Tadiem will look to grow its new division, seeking out opportunities for Folk to expand both with its existing clients across the network, and with new ones, Spence says.

“Tadiem is a framework for forward-looking individuals and companies, and a place where those people can really thrive,” Spence adds. “Folk is a perfect fit for us, and for that thinking. We’re excited to bring their expertise to more of our clients, and see how we evolve and grow together.”

The financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.