GTA indie shop Evolve Agency Group has acquired The Jack Russell Agency, which Ira Baptiste, president of Evolve, says “has a shared commitment to creativity, innovation, and client-centric solutions.”

Industry veteran and Jack Russell Agency founder, Don Saynor, will join Evolve as its chief creative officer. Prior to founding the agency in 2016, Saynor (pictured) was a Seneca College professor and a longtime VP and associate creative director for J. Walter Thompson Worldwide. Saynor’s work has been recognized by strategy, ADCC, Cannes Lions, One Show and Communication Arts. In his 25-plus-year career, he’s been a part of the production of over 800 TV and radio ads.

The Evolve Agency Group was formed in 2021 through the merger of Brandfire and OKD. It has worked on creative campaigns for the likes of Chapman’s ice cream, deli meat brand Piller’s, Bushmills Irish Whiskey and Hill Street Beverage Co.

“The Evolve team has a track record of successfully bringing in complementary agencies, and I’m thrilled to be joining and leading creative,” Saynor says. “Jack Russell’s clients will continue to be serviced in the way they are used to, but now will have access to significant bench strength and an expanded suite of services that we didn’t have the ability to offer before.”

According to Rob Levy, CEO of Evolve Agency Group, Baptiste and Saynor will be a formidable team. “They both have experience at large multinationals and small independents. Together, I think they will make some serious waves in the industry.”

In February, Evolve Agency Group announced the addition of Independent Knowledge Partner Network (IKPN) as a strategic investor. This partnership was meant to bring together the expertise of both companies to expand services to existing and potential client’s marketing and comms needs and, according to Levy, it will potentially give Evolve the necessary “additional scale, resources, technology and expertise to match the largest digital media buying agencies in the country.”