Middle Child’s co-managing directors Amanda Shuchat (left) and Katie Muir.

The public relations agency formerly known as the Colony Project has rebranded with a more contemporary and less controversial name that its leaders say better reflects its values: Middle Child.

According to Amanda Shuchat, co-managing director for Middle Child, the rebrand “goes back to what has made us stand out as an agency over the past five years.” Specifically, she says the new name will better communicate that the agency “refuses to be ignored” due to its attention-grabbing, culture-hacking ethos.

“Our approach comes from research, consumer insights, searching the daily news, staying on top of social listening and monitoring trends and updates,” explains Katie Muir, c0-managing director. “It’s about tapping into what the audience cares about versus generating something net new.”

Middle Child espouses six key values, Shuchat says: hunger, fearlessness, forthrightness, wonder, adaptability, and “giving a shit.” According to Muir, those values align perfectly with the new agency name.

The new name was also driven by a desire to get away from a word in the agency’s old name that carried unwanted baggage.

“Colony was born out of the DNA of Citizen Relations and we took our name as the evolution of one citizen to many, working together toward a common good. That was the intent behind our name, but it’s not lost on us that the word ‘colony’ has a negative connotation, historically synonymous with oppression and political control,” says Shuchat.

“In the society we live in now, which is progressively evolving, we often counsel our clients daily to embody transparency, empathy and humility – and we have to do the same,” she adds.

Shuchat is quick to clarify that while the agency is rebranding itself, the team behind the brand will remain unchanged – Muir was brought on to lead The Colony Project last year as Shuchat went on maternity leave, and the pair has since embraced a two-person leadership approach. And far as clients are concerned, “nothing skips a beat,” she says.

That client list includes Kraft Heinz Canada, Coca-Cola Canada Bottling, Sephora, Nando’s and Hyundai.

Middle Child’s Vision7 sister agency, Cossette, led the rebranding effort and the new name, narrative, and the logo will roll out over the coming weeks, starting with Middle Child’s digital presence – website, social channels, and emails.

It will also be supporting the rebrand with the launch of a small line of merchandise “that really sums up the new brand,” says Shuchat.