Vickers & Benson of Toronto wants to become a ‘creative powerhouse’ and has taken the first step in that direction by letting management-level creative people do what they do best.
President John Hayter says the agency has begun an evolutionary process that will make it more responsive to the changing needs of clients, an evolution which could take the privately held Canadian company into the u.s. and abroad.
To emphasize the company’s commitment to creative, Chairman Terry O’Malley has dropped the title of executive creative director in favor of copywriter.
Terry Bell, executive vice-president and director of creative services, has also taken on the more concise title of copywriter and become the newest partner in Vickers & Benson Companies.
Bruce Philp, previously senior vice-president and director of client services, has been named executive creative director.
Hayter says although it is unusual to move someone from client services to creative, Philp has shown strong abilities as a creative strategist and manager of the creative process.
Client services duties will be shared by Hayter and Jim Satterthwaite, executive vice-president and chief operating officer.
Hayter says v&b does plan to take advantage of opportunities abroad but not for at least a year. First it wants to concentrate on getting to the top of the agency heap in Canada.
Scouting began this past summer when Mike McCormick, president of V&B Direct, moved to New York City to open M.J. McCormick Direct, a creative boutique for direct marketing, which remains affiliated with v&b.
McCormick is now also vice-president, creative director of Lois K. Geller, another New York direct marketing agency.
Hayter says v&b is not affiliated with Lois K. Geller.
