The TBWA Worldwide holding company has announced a major merger in Canada that will see TBWA\Toronto and Juniper Park become a single new agency called Juniper Park\TBWA. The Juniper Park partnership team of CEO Jill Nykoliation and Chief Creative Officers Terry Drummond, Alan Madill and Barry Quinn will lead the office, reporting to TBWA Worldwide President and CEO Troy Ruhanen. Jay Bertram, current President of TBWA\Canada and head of the Toronto office, will be leaving the network at the end of September.
TBWA has announced a major merger that will see TBWA\Toronto and Juniper Park become a single new agency called Juniper Park\TBWA
Troy Ruhanen
The two Toronto-based shops will combine their staff under one roof in the Juniper Park space next month, and will operate a combined roster of clients that includes such heavyweights as CIBC, Nissan, eos, Miller Lite, PepsiCo, Petro-Canada, Pfizer and Virgin Mobile. A longtime Omnicom agency partner, Juniper Park officially joined the TBWA network in March as part of a global market restructure to help strengthen TBWA's footprint in North America, as well as broaden its design capabilities. The two agencies have a strong history of collaborating on many North American clients, including Miller Lite, Henkel and PepsiCo.
The two Toronto-based shops will combine their staff under one roof in the Juniper Park space next month
TBWA CEO Troy Ruhanen, said of the merger: “The potential to bring together the dynamic creative culture of TBWA and its emerging digital prowess, with Juniper Park's strategic and creative design capabilities became too great an opportunity to resist. Both agencies are individually strong, but together they not only become a force in Canada, they now allow the network to have a stronger than ever presence in three major North American cities; New York, LA and Toronto.” Of the departing Bertram, who has been working in the advertising industry since he joined Chiat/Day in Toronto back in 1989, he added: “Beyond being a great friend, Jay Bertram has been a great asset to the TBWA family for many years and was profoundly instrumental in growing and enriching our brand in Canada and beyond. He has chosen this moment to start a new journey knowing that he has positioned the agency and its people in the best possible place with this merger. We wish him the best in all opportunities that lie ahead.”
Juniper Park officially joined the TBWA network in March as part of a global market restructure to help strengthen TBWA's footprint in North America
Jill Nykoliation
Juniper Park CEO Jill Nykoliation, who is part of TBWA's global management team, said: Uniting as Juniper Park\TBWA brings further scale and momentum to our team and our clients. We already work with TBWA offices around the world. This merger formalises a relationship that is well underway.” CCO Barry Quinn, meanwhile, added: “Juniper Park has practiced disruptive creative and design thinking from its inception. And we greatly respect TBWA's focus on creating iconic work. This is a terrific match.”
