MARKETERS

The ongoing success of Vim’s ‘Prisoner’ spot would naturally explain this move: Stephen Kouri has been promoted to VP marketing for home and personal care at Unilever Canada. Meanwhile, the packaged goods giant looked south to snag its latest hire to head up one of its biggest brands. Venezuelan-born Patricia Larez is the new brand manager, personal wash, responsible for Dove personal wash.

Larez has worked at Caracas-based Empresas Polar, which competes with Colgate, P&G, and yes, Unilever. She spent six years at the company and one at The Clorox Company in Venezuela before moving

to Toronto.

Peter Luiz, who has held senior marketing posts at Heinz (including VP marketing) and Nabisco, has moved into the top spot at Heinz Canada as president and CEO. He was COO 10 months prior. Luiz says the ‘iconic’ company is best known for ketchup but has a much broader portfolio than many people are aware, including baby and frozen foods as well as last month’s acquisition of HP Foods. Previous CEO Jim Krushelniski has been promoted to area president of Heinz Pacific

and Canada.

AGENCIES

Following its huge Rogers coup, Publicis is on a bit of a hiring frenzy. Its most recent is Matt Litzinger as associate CD, who participated in winning the telco account. He will team up with associate CD David Daga on some of the agency’s biggest accounts including Kia and CIBC. Publicis has hired a total of 16 on both the creative and account sides over the past three months. Meanwhile, Andrew Bruce, a founding partner of the six-year-old agency, has been promoted to president.

With film and magazine publication experience under his belt, Micheal Lambie may seem a curious hire as CD at Toronto-based scratch, a marketing and promotions agency. But that’s exactly what they wanted. ‘We were looking for someone with a wide range because our client base is so diverse,’ says David Riabov, partner. Clients include Universal, Renée’s Gourmet Foods and Frigidaire. ‘Plus, he’s got that nice creative eye we like.’ Lambie, once co-publisher of urban magazine Mic Check, was most recently

CD at Mississauga, Ont.-based Belvedere International, a Canadian beauty

supplies manufacturer.

Andrew Samuel, previously associate CD at Rethink, who worked on Coast Capital Savings and A&P Dominion, and David Walker, a copywriter formerly at Grey Worldwide, where he worked on Amazon.ca and Vancity, have formed Vancouver-based St. Bernadine Mission Communications. ‘Most [clients] want to give back to charities,’ says Walker, ‘but they don’t necessarily want to give cash.’ Samuel says St. Bernadine will offer clients a 10% credit in the form of their services, which can be applied to work for any of the clients’ charities. To date the agency has done work for Tourism B.C. and Intrawest. ‘It seems like the right thing to do,’ he adds. ‘And it makes us feel good about what we do.’ Bernadine, by the way, is the patron saint of advertising, graphic design and public relations. Yes, it’s true.

BC-based Traction Creative Communications has hired Michael Mok as CD and promoted Lisa Eaton to director of client services.

The move comes after two years of ‘rapid growth,’ says president Larry Donen. Recent new clients include The Aragon Group and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

Traction, formerly known as Detroit Creative, has offices in Vancouver and Whistler. Mok was previously VP and art director at Timm Williams Design. His clients have included Golf BC, Fairmont Hotels and Langara Resort. Eaton was previously supervisor, client services. With Olympic fever ripe in the B.C. air, and RFPs being readied, Donen adds that the renewed strength comes at a good time.