Toronto-based digital shop Jam3 is set to open a new office in Los Angeles next month, after seeing growth in its staff and revenue over the past year.

Jam3 currently has offices in Uruguay and Poland. “It’s always been a dream of ours to open up an office in the U.S.,” says Mark McQuillan, partner and managing director at Jam3. About 60% of the shop’s work is currently coming from the U.S., he says.

Adrian Belina, partner and creative director at Jam3, will head to LA. to help establish the office, which will include sales and junior creative staff focused on pitching new business, McQuillan says.

Jam3 currently works with agencies including Saatch & Saatchi L.A.,  72 and Sunny and Goodby, along with Google and Facebook, but is looking to expand its opportunities on the West Coast, something that’s easier with people on the ground.  “Every time we’ve ever sent anyone anywhere on a sales trip, they come back with an opportunity,” McQuillan says, adding that having an established presence will help grow its client base.

“I don’t think it takes a genius to realize L.A. is an entertainment city,” he says, adding that clients in that category and agencies will be the major areas of new business growth. Along with digital production work, Jam3 will also focus on delivering more live-action productions, McQuillan adds.

Since opening its new Toronto office in May 2014, Jam3 has seen its staff grow from about 25 to 49 and has had its revenue double. McQuillan attributes that in part to deals lasting longer than the typical two to three months of production, with Jam3 coming in at the initial strategy stage.

Over that time, McQuillan himself has also shifted from technical director to the managing director role. His former duties are now being split between Aaron Morris, who has been with Jam3 since 2007 and now takes on the technical director role, and Adam Slayer, who joined Jam3 in May as head of development and user experience.

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