Much to Be Proud Of: Lessons from the Illustrious Career of Marc Fortin
After 35 years working in advertising, Canadian industry juggernaut Marc Fortin retired last month, bringing an end to an incredible 20-year tenure at LG2, and career as a whole. A man who was instrumental in shaping the direction of the independent agency’s business model, ethos, and destiny, the now former partner and chief creative officer of the Montreal office leaves an incredible legacy, having helped train the company’s next generation of talents, including the likes of Nicolas Baldovini (partner and chief creative officer), Marilou Aubin (partner and executive creative director) and Geneviève Langlois (partner and executive creative director), to name a few.
Across the years, Marc received accolades from just about every platform, ranging from Cannes Lions and Clios to the One Show, Webby and Marketing Awards. But while impressive, what truly defined his career wasn’t pieces of silverware, or any one singular campaign. Rather, it was the consistent, insatiable curiosity he showed across all facets of the business. Whether it was the desire to learn more and keep up with the demands of a very competitive industry, figuring out how to deliver actual results for clients, or the best ways possible to genuinely connect with people in order to understand their needs, motivations and concerns, Marc always wanted to learn more and understand things better. That’s something which, alongside his strong sense of humility, will undoubtedly be missed within the LG2 system for months to come.
To learn more about all of this, break down his journey, and celebrate such an impressive career, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with Marc for a chat.
LBB> Marc, congratulations on a career well-done! What made now the right time to call it, and how are you feeling about this decision?
Marc> In fact, I started thinking about it at least two years ago. I absolutely didn't want to be that partner who counts on an old reputation to pocket a salary without being 100% relevant and productive. After 35 years in an industry that's constantly changing, it takes a lot of curiosity and energy to keep up with the expectations of the organisation, the talent and the customers. And that's absolutely legitimate for a company that wants to keep on performing.
I've always been very curious about our business and its evolution. This was probably my main contribution as a leader. What's more, I've always been all-in on everything to do with creativity, of course, but also the health and success of the business. I've always been emotionally and mentally involved in all these aspects. And I wasn't entirely sure that I'd have the energy to keep up this necessary curiosity for many years to come.
The second aspect of my thinking was also to avoid blocking places for the next generation of partners who have the energy and vision to take the company to another level. To remain independent, LG2 has to be the most relevant agency in the market. And I have the distinct impression that the new partners will help us achieve this goal. It's a natural outcome when you hire people who are better than you.
LBB> Looking back, you’ve spent over three decades in the industry, so, please tell us your story! How did you get started in advertising, and how did you end up where you are today?
Marc> Quite early on in my school career, in fact, I was interested in the creative industry. When I enrolled at university, I was told that there were different doors to working in an agency: marketing, design and communications. Strangely enough, I chose marketing because it seemed closer to what I knew. My father was an entrepreneur and the business side of things made sense to me.
At university, I quickly realised that it wasn't the training that led to becoming a creative, but I was lucky enough – thanks to an advertising course – to take part in the first edition of the inter-university competition ‘Concours Relève’, organised by A2C for the Quebec advertising industry to find new talent. As part of my team, I took charge of the creative side, our team won, and as a prize, I got my first internship as a copywriter at a TV station.
From there, I went to work in a pure advertising agency for a year, before I was hired at Tam Tam, which is now Tam-Tam\TBWA. Then, I was recruited by Cossette, where I spent 12 years and progressed rapidly from copywriter to creative director to vice-president creative.
It was at Cossette that I met Gilles Chouinard, who later became a partner at LG2. In the years that followed, Gilles and I spoke quite regularly, and he wanted me to join them because they were looking for a creative director with an entrepreneurial profile. After a few years of chatting, I decided to join LG2 in 2006. First as a creative director, then quite quickly I became vice president, creative, and after a year and a half, I became one of the partners.
In 2016, a group of partners got together to buy 100% of the agency from founders Paul Gauthier and Sylvain Labarre (the L and G of LG2). They both retired and we took over the management of the agency. At that point my role then evolved into that of executive vice president, product (today we call it chief creative officer) for LG2 in Montreal.
LBB> What made it the right home for you across the years? And what kept the experience fresh?
Marc> We're a group of ambitious partners with human values. And that goes back a long way to the founders. They wanted to create a fertile breeding ground for creativity, but first and foremost, they wanted to ensure that our talents were happy. I immediately embraced this vision; I even took on the role of protector and ambassador. We were always asking ourselves, firstly, ‘what does LG2 need to stay relevant to customers and brands?’, and secondly, ‘how can we take advantage of each of these developments to mobilise talent?’.
What has enabled me to evolve through these many years of market changes and LG2’s evolution is that we've always had control over our decisions and therefore our destiny. For me, that's pure entrepreneurship and it's something which motivated me every day. When we decide to go for it, we don't ask anyone's permission. That's what has enabled us to develop a unique offering to the market, because we've been able to reinvent ourselves whenever relevant.
Over the years, we've also added all the expertise needed to help brands define themselves. We didn't really realise it as we went along, but by adding design, content, digital, architecture, packaging, shopper marketing, technology and brand activation, we've carved out a place for ourselves as Canada's brand experience leader. And it's our collective enthusiasm and entrepreneurial energy that got us there.
LBB> Building on this, are you proud of the spot you’re leaving LG2 in today, having helped train the agency’s new generation of leaders?
Marc> I'm absolutely proud of the group of leaders who will continue to lead the company in line with its values and ambitions. I have identified and mentored some of them, and talked with them mainly about this entrepreneurial vision, as well as about the importance of the partners preserving the collective vision. LG2 has never been a one-person show; it's the power of the collective that gets us through the storms because we share the pressure. When one knee goes down, others are there to pick up the slack. It's an immense power. Everyone thinks of the collective and the long-term future of LG2 before their own personal gain, and there's nothing that can beat that vision and stance.
I think I played a part in transmitting this vision to the new management team, and I'm proud of that.
LBB> On a more personal level, across the years, how did you adapt to the changing times to stay on top of your game?
Marc> First of all, I've tried to stay very close to people, leaders, creatives, seniors and juniors alike, seeking to understand their motivations, fears, what inspires them, and what demotivates them. This has always enabled me to put their happiness and aspirations at the heart of our decisions, our processes and our organisation. A creative person doesn't just want to sell an idea, they want to sell the best idea – the one that's going to get people talking, the one they're going to be proud of, the one that's going to be noticed by people who aren't in the business as much as by people in the business. But I've always combined that with a focus on results. A good product attracts clients, but a product that performs creates loyalty, and the more loyal clients you have, the more opportunities you have to do work that's out of the ordinary. That's what creatives and strategists are looking for: more opportunities.
Then, on the other hand, I tried to keep in touch with the evolution of the business. That's where my curiosity came in. I needed to understand and master every aspect of our offer and our industry. I have a big FOMO for everything that has to do with the evolution of our business, so I've always asked a lot of questions to a lot of people. And I read a lot. All to make sure I stayed relevant.
LBB> Looking back at your body of work, what are the pieces from your career that you’re most proud of? What do they represent to you?
Marc> It's quite simple. I'm most proud of the fact that I've always put my heart and soul into putting the well-being of our team at the heart of our decisions, putting product quality at the heart of our business vision, and above all, contributing to keeping this company 100% independent and locally-owned.
I'm also proud to have always been true to my values and those of LG2, and to have protected, promoted and embodied them. I come out of this industry with the reputation of an upright, honest guy who says what he thinks, does what he says, and never strays from that line. During my career, I've often been told that I'm ‘too nice’. But if I come out of this tough, competitive industry with that reputation, while having preserved the quality of LG2’s creative product, I can live well.
LBB> What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned along the way?
Marc> I think that, with a little hindsight, I'm able to identify some very powerful lessons for contemporary leaders and executives because I've discovered their benefits throughout my journey. I'll name three here:
Curiosity. Many leaders stop progressing because they stop being curious; curious about people and what motivates them, curious about trends, market evolutions, consumer behaviour, sociological changes linked to new generations, and evolving means of communication. The key to staying relevant for as long as possible is to stay curious.
Humility. When you're humble and understand that you can't find all the answers on your own, the people around you respect you and they want to help. For this reason, we’re also able to give recognition to the people who help us improve ourselves and the organisation. I think that's motivating.
Risk-taking. We learn by making mistakes. You have to be willing to take risks, try things out, and correct yourself if you've made a mistake. When you're running a growing business of this size, inaction is the biggest risk. You have to be constantly on the move. But you also have to do it while respecting your values, and the commitments you've made to your talents.
LBB> What are some of the things you’ll miss most about the job, and being in the advertising industry?
Marc> People. I love people.
I learned long ago to take pride in the evolution of the people I've managed. I'm often moved to see people grow, succeed, gain confidence, defend projects, make tough decisions, take responsibility for their decisions, take on more leadership than they're asked to, and be curious. In short, I'm going to miss seeing people progress.
LBB> Finally, how will you celebrate the end of the era, and, more importantly, spend your time off?
Marc> I’ll slow down with the intensity. I'm going to spend more time with my family. I’ll train more. I’ll read more. I’ll cook more. I’ll listen to more music. I’ll garden more. I’ll walk more. I’ll see more shows. I’ll enjoy more.
