MARKETERS

Dan Sorotschynski has been hired as Dose’s director of marketing. He was previously brand initiatives manager at Nike, working on such programs as RunTO and Nike Runner’s Lounge. ‘There are few brands that are truly Canadian…where the strategy and direction are up to us,’ he says to explain his move to the mag owned by CanWest. Before Nike, he was an assistant brand manager at Unilever. Sorotschynski replaces Mark Shedletsky, now director of marketing at MTV Canada.

Nissan has created an offshoot of its marketing department. Ian Forsyth, who joined the company in 1983 as national marketing manager and has been director of marketing since 1990, is now director, corporate and product planning, a newly created position. He will be responsible for long-term business planning and product planning. Wendy Durward, previously corporate manager, marketing communications, is now director, marketing communications, also a new post.

Vancouver’s Playground, a real estate sales and marketing company owned by developer Intrawest, has hired Marcel Labbé, formerly with RMG Direct, as its VP, marketing innovation. As well, Angela Nielsen, most recently Vancouver Aquarium’s director of public relations, has been hired as corporate marketing manager. With resorts in six countries, Playground uses storytelling as a marketing strategy. The company is growing and has plans to hire dozens of people for its sales and marketing offices around the world.

AGENCIES

After three-and-a-half years, CD Benjamin Vendramin is leaving the agency that bears his name, Toronto-based Goodgoll Vendramin, to become SVP/group CD at McCann Erickson in New York. His main client will be the global MasterCard account. ‘There is no opportunity like this in Canada,’ he says. On the heels of Vendramin’s announcement came word that Goodgoll has re-branded as Wingspan Strategies, and will focus on brand communication strategy.

Nine new creatives have been hired at Grey Worldwide Toronto, including: Gerald Schoenhoff as VP/ACD/senior AD; Dave Stevenson as ACD, direct and interactive; Todd Henwood as ACD/senior AD/web designer; and Steve Forrester as AD/senior web designer. Jason Buback joins as senior writer and Shoshanna Addley as senior writer, direct and interactive. On the account side, Camielle Clark joins as director, creative services, broadcast production.

Newfoundland’s Target Marketing has hired Michael Scher as creative group head. He was most recently partner and CD at Halifax’s porkpie hat, which closed its doors in November.