Leaving with a Sense of Accomplishment: Jacques de Varennes Reflects on a Career Well-Done
After an immensely successful career, starting all the way back in 1984, partner and vice-president, design at the Québec City office of LG2, Jacques de Varennes, is gracefully bowing out into a well-earned retirement.
Having brought his vision of branding to the agency’s practice, the challenge of the work has constantly motivated him to sharpen his craft throughout his career, leading to big ideas, and even bigger results. With defining achievements including work for the Québec government, Québec International, the Port of Québec, the Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC), the SAAQ, Université Laval, Familiprix, Canac, Chocolats Favoris, Brasserie Farnham Ale & Lager, Boréale, 3E Events, the SSQ and La Capitale (Beneva), Jacques’ signature flair and sense of style will undoubtedly be missed within the agency, as he leaves behind enormous shoes to fill.
So, to celebrate a career well-done, share some anecdotes, and take some time to reflect on all of it - as well as what comes next - Jacques sat down with LBB’s Josh Neufeldt for a chat.
LBB> Getting started, congratulations on a career well-done! What made now the right time to call it, and how are you feeling about this decision?
Jacques> I've been in the business for 40 years. So, I sincerely believe it's time for me to make room for the next generation. I've had a wonderful career and achieved a lot. I went from illustrator to layout artist to graphic designer. A lot has happened!
I've been preparing for this departure for the past two years, thanks to the support of the president of the Québec City office and an external advisor, which is very reassuring for me both personally and professionally. It's not a spur-of-the-moment decision; everything has been carefully thought out and prepared. I feel blessed to have been so well supported.
I'm at peace with the decision. Thanks to the right guidance, I'm far from leaving with regrets. For me, it's a great way to go out, and I have nothing but good memories of the mandates accomplished and the people I've met. I'm leaving with some fine achievements, particularly in the last year, when the ADCC named LG2 ‘Design Agency of the Year’. As such, I leave with a sense of accomplishment.
LBB> A career spanning this many years is clearly full of adventure and exploits. So, please tell us your story! How did you get started in advertising, and how did you end up where you are today?
Jacques> Why design rather than any other discipline? It's always been in me. When I'd see a train go by as a kid, I'd see the CN Rail logo and I'd reproduce it. I used to look at my father's ties and have fun redoing the gouache patterns in kindergarten. I was fascinated by logos, colours and textures. I had an eye for it; I think I was born with this passion.
With that said, originally, I wanted to be an architect. When I was young, if you were good at drawing, you were told you'd be a good architect. I didn't know what a designer was. Then, in my third year of high school, I took a course in advertising design, followed by another in typography. That's when I discovered that drawing could open other doors for me. To this day, I'm particularly fond of typography because of that course. Typography is the essential ingredient in design. It's like flour for the baker: a designer without typography doesn't design.
I went on to study graphic design and started out as an illustrator at Cossette. I worked there with Paul Gauthier (co-founder of LG2), among others, and it was thanks to him that I became a layout designer. One day, he asked me to design a logo for a friend who ran a sound studio, Trame, and the client was immediately taken with the result. One thing led to another, and I moved on to art director and then creative director. I developed my skills, particularly in branding and packaging. I touched on everything.
Then, I did a stint at Nolin, before returning to Cossette one last time. Finally, I founded my own company, Vox, in 1993. Ten years later, Paul approached me to start LG2 in Québec City, alongside Luc Du Sault and Mireille Côté. I accepted! I then became a partner and vice-president of branding and design. It's a role I’ve held with pride for two decades.
Even today, five of my Vox colleagues are still with LG2! Next year, LG2's Québec City office will celebrate its 20th anniversary. I'm really proud to have been a founding partner of this office.
Jacques and Mireille Côté (photo credit Samuel St-Onge)
LBB> Building on this, what kept you at LG2 all that time? What made the agency and the work so special?
Jacques> The LG2 philosophy. As co-founders Paul Gauthier and Sylvain Labarre told me: you always have to push the envelope and keep the product in mind. For me, this was a guarantee of work that would stand out.
This philosophy also has had an impact on the overall development of the agency as well. When you make a good product, you attract the right talent. It's a virtuous circle.
LBB> On a more personal level, how did you as a designer adapt to the changing times and stay at the top of the game?
Jacques> The world of design itself has changed from simple logos to brand platforms and identities that must last over time. Storytelling has taken on such importance - it's no longer just about making beautiful designs, but also about telling a story.
With design, as with advertising, you always have to be ahead of the pack, seeing and anticipating future trends. In the '80s and '90s, we looked forward to the release of each Communication Arts issue and the annual Print Magazine. But inspiration was often limited to what was in these pages.
With the advent of the internet, however - (you can tell my age by that remark!) - I experienced a veritable big bang of inspiration. All of a sudden, we were exposed to design everywhere on the planet: blogs, unknown competitions, the work of inspiring designers. It made me all the more curious. It’s a never ending all-you-can-eat buffet.
And to stay inspired, I've always been interested in the next generation of designers. I've never turned down an interview. You never know when you're going to come across a rare gem. I always say yes to visiting CEGEPs and universities. I even welcome high school students to the office. There's no age restriction for taking an interest in design. With the young people who do, you can see their eyes shine, and that's what inspiration is all about: surrounding yourself with passionate people.
LBB> Building on this, what are the best pieces of work from your career? And what do they represent to you?
Jacques> A lot has happened in 40 years! Recently, in the last five years, I'm really proud of the work accomplished with my team on the visual identity of Le Diamant theatre, a cultural venue located in Old Québec. Working with Robert Lepage, one of the greatest creators of our time, was a highlight for me.
I also loved my experience with the Farnham Ale & Lager microbrewery. Our work on the brand sort of revolutionised the microbrewery world without us even knowing it, with our idea of putting the IBU bitterness measurement code forward in the design.
There were also major multi-expertise projects such as Beneva, a new Canada-wide brand resulting from the merger of two of the country's insurance giants. This was a major project that brought together the strategy, advertising and digital experience teams with the branding and design team.
I'm also particularly fond of the work we did some ten years ago for Chocolats Favoris, a chocolatier based in Québec City. Our work enabled the brand to grow, opening new branches across Québec, Ontario and British Columbia.
LBB> And what are the biggest achievements/proudest moments from this time period?
Jacques> Simply, my proudest moment was when I joined forces with LG2. I was part of the agency's rise to prominence locally, nationally and internationally.
LBB> Looking back, what are some of the best stories from your design career? Please tell us about them!
Jacques> I don't have any funny stories, but I always have a smile on my face when I think of Luc Du Sault. He was my intern when I worked at Cossette, and I was always giving him tasks like making him cut foam core to make models. When I think that we laid the foundation of what LG2 is today, and that he's behind the agency's first Cannes Lion, I say to myself, ‘Wow, we've come a long way together!’.
LBB> And what are the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
Jacques> The most important lesson is humility. Always remain humble - especially in our industry, where ego takes up a lot of space. I often talk about this to the next generation, and I want to pass on these values to them. That's exactly what I've passed on to Mira Moscatel-Gauthier, Anthony Verge and Marilyne Beaudoin, my colleagues who will be taking over design leadership of the Québec City office.
Also important: you can't rest on your laurels - you have to keep digging, keep looking for inspiration and do research. When you're in design, it's in you, and you're always thinking about it. You're constantly exposed to design.
Jacques, Mira Moscatel-Gauthier, Marilyne Beaudoin and Anthony Verge (photo credit Samuel St-Onge)
LBB> What are some of the things you’ll miss most about the job, and being in design?
Jacques> What I'm going to miss the most are my team and my clients, human interaction, solving problems, and experiencing success alongside them. I'll also miss the results, the awards, and the smiles of satisfaction.
Of course, most of all, I'm certain I'll miss my design team and LG2 partners, but I'm not far away. I'll still be coming into the office for a beer on Thursdays!
LBB> Finally, importantly, how will you be spending your time off?
Jacques> I'm recording my third album with my band, Mal Fantôme. Aside from that, I want to travel, play golf, and get back into painting. During the pandemic, I designed and built my first house, and I'd like to repeat the experience.
