Rethink Communications Explained

Rethink Communications is an independent advertising agency based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec.[1]

The agency was founded on November 1, 1999, by Chris Staples, Ian Grais and Tom Shepansky. All three were formerly employed at Palmer Jarvis DDB (now DDB Vancouver). Staples was the national creative director of that agency; Grais was the creative director and Shepansky was the director of client services.[2]

Staples, Grais and Shepansky opened Rethink with no staff and no clients. In December 1999 they won the Dominion Grocery Store account in Ontario and the A&W Food Services account nationally, in English and French.[3]

In their first year of operation the agency grew to 20 people and was featured on the CBC-TV business program Venture.[4] Rethink made news by offering a money-back guarantee in the form of a five percent rebate to be earned based on client-set criteria.[5] They also launched Rethink Beer to demonstrate their branding abilities. The product was available in BC and Alberta until 2003.[6]

The agency currently handles advertising, design and online work for a range of local, regional and national clients. These include A&W (Canada),[6] Shaw Communications, Molson Coors Brewing Company,[7] IKEA Canada,[8] Coast Capital Savings, WestJet,[9] Mr. Lube, Playland, Science World at TELUS World of Science, and Weston Bakeries.[10]

Rethink was named Canada's Agency of the Year three times: first in November 2003 by Marketing Magazine,[11] and a second and third time by Strategy Magazine in December 2006[7] and October 2019.[12]

The agency was also ranked by Strategy Magazine as the most award-winning agency in Canada in 2008[13] and 2009.[10] Partners and co-creative directors Staples and Grais were ranked the most awarded creative directors in 2006,[14] 2008[15] and 2009[16] in the same surveys.

Rethink clients Coast Capital Savings and Mr. Lube were named Marketers of the Year by the BC Chapter of the American Marketing Association in 2006[17] and 2008 [18] respectively.

On April 5, 2010, Rethink opened an office in Toronto, headed by partner and managing director Pema Hegan and creative director Dre Labre.[19]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Chong . Kevin . Chris Staples of Rethink Advertising Reimagines Vancouver Advertising . BC Business . Vancouver . 3 June 2009 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090916002800/http://www.bcbusinessonline.ca/bcb/top-stories/2009/06/03/chris-staples-rethink-communications-reimagines-vancouver-advertising . 16 September 2009.
  2. News: Hunter . Jennifer . Shaking up the ad world . Maclean's Magazine . Toronto . 22 November 1999 . .
  3. News: Lazarus . Eve . Dynamic Duo . Marketing Magazine . Toronto . 24 March 2003 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091117202137/http://www.evelazarus.com/articles/article6.html . 17 November 2009.
  4. Venture (CBC) . Venture . Venture (TV series) . September 1, 2001 . 17.
  5. News: Folb . Mikala . The ad lib . Canadian Business Magazine . Toronto . 26 November 1999 . .
  6. News: Prendiville Roux . Julie . Rethink . Communication Arts . May–June 2007 . https://archive.today/20130119222943/http://www.commarts.com/feature/rethink.html . dead . 2013-01-19 . .
  7. News: Williams . Natalia . The Rethink Effect . Strategy Magazine . Toronto . December 2006 . .
  8. Web site: IKEA picks Rethink as new AOR. Josh . Kolm. 2017-06-13. strategy. 2019-12-19.
  9. Web site: Rethink named lead agency for WestJet. Josh . Kolm. 2018-04-04. strategy. 2019-12-20.
  10. News: Toane . Carey . Top agency: Rethink thinks local, wins big . Strategy Magazine . Toronto . February 2009 . .
  11. News: Lazarus . Eve . Rethink's Fresh Obsession . Marketing Magazine . Toronto . 24 November 2003 . .
  12. Web site: Rethink is the 2019 Agency of the Year. Jennifer . Horn. 2019-10-31. strategy. 2019-12-19.
  13. News: Top Agency: Rethink . Strategy Magazine . Toronto . February 2008 . .
  14. News: Williams . Natalie . Spevick . David . Top Creative Directors: Ian Grais, Chris Staples, Rethink . Strategy Magazine . February 2006 . September 10, 2009 .
  15. News: Top Creative Directors: Rethink's Chris Staples and Ian Grais . Strategy Magazine . Toronto . February 2008 . .
  16. News: Toane . Carey . Top creative directors: Ian Grais and Chris Staples of Rethink . Strategy Magazine . Toronto . February 2009 . .
  17. Coast Capital Savings wins BCAMA 'Marketer of the Year' Award . Coast Capital Savings . 18 July 2006 . 18 July 2006 .
  18. News: Mr. Lube wins marketer of the year . The Vancouver Sun . 25 June 2008 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090531032530/http://www2.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=73df6a44-ffe5-478a-8f96-f03a4abf351d . 31 May 2009.
  19. Web site: Rethink moves East, opening a Toronto office. March 8, 2010. Eve . Lazarus. en-US. 2019-09-21.

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