“Ripe for a Recharge”: Adam Reeves Discusses his Move to TBWA\Group Canada
Earlier this month, TBWA\Group Canada announced the arrival of its new CCO, Adam Reeves. A Canadian by birth, Adam had actually spent much of his career in the US, working at the likes of R/GA and Goodby Silverstein, so this move represented an incredible homecoming story, and for the agency itself, an exciting moment of possibility.
Joining forces with the new group-wide leadership team, he’s not only eager to prove that the merged agencies can compete with the best of the best in Canada, but that, as a whole, Canadian advertising deserves its place on the global stage. Specifically, he’s also keen on using the resources of the network to drive creativity to new, cutting edge places, as he jumps into the work with both feet, getting his hands dirty alongside the collective team.
So, to learn more about what drove this decision, how the early days have been, and aspirations for the 2024 calendar year, LBB’s Josh Neufeldt and Adam sat down for a chat.
LBB> Obviously, the big news is that you’re the new CCO of TBWA\Group Canada. Congratulations! How did his opportunity come to pass, and what inspired the decision to join?
Adam> Thank you! You know, the agency found me through their search - it sounds like they looked at a lot of a lot of different candidates - and I'm glad they did, because I vibe with the disruption and the pirates mission of TBWA. I know a few of the people in the leadership team there stateside, who I think really highly of, and then meeting CEO Eve Rémillard-Larose, CSO Des Jones and the team here, I thought they had all the pieces to make something really exciting, and I like to make exciting work. That's really what I try to do.
In short, I think the team here on the ground is incredible, I think the brand is ripe for a recharge here, and I'm really excited to come home to Toronto and be part of the creative dynamic as well, with a lot of the cool people who are here.
LBB> Notably, you’ve been working in America for some time now. So, what made now feel like the right time to come home? And as a whole, what are you hoping to accomplish in this position of leadership?
Adam> The world's an interesting place right now. In America, there's a lot of strange, strange winds, so just in general, it seems like an interesting time to come back to Canada. Plus, I've got a young family, so I'm excited to show them life up here.
Aside from that, I really believe in the opportunities for the team and brands, with the agency's support behind us. In America, TBWA\Chiat\Day is one of the storied creative cultures. It’s made great work and great people for so long. I'm inspired by that mission, to shine a light on some of the great people here in Canada and make that happen.
Finally, in music and in movies, so much talent is from Canada, so I'm excited to break some stereotypes or imagined limits that people have of our market.
LBB> Tell us more about your thoughts on the state of advertising in Canada at the moment? How does it compare to the American scene, and what key lessons have you learned there that you’ll be applying here?
Adam> I think in many ways, organisations are just a state of mind, and people are realities. The border is an enforced but fictional line, so there's a lot of realities, and I think there's some truths. Specifically, when working with big budgets and great production partners, you learn and you realise proper ways of working, right? So, I'm excited to bring some of that best-in-class practice I learned at some great agencies like Goodby Silverstein & Partners, BBDO New York, R/GA to bear here.
LBB> Innovation is a great tool to have in any creative’s warehouse, and you’ve previously held a position as a head of innovation. Tell us about this! How does this guide your creative approach?
Adam> I believe that we make the work through the work, and that intention matters a lot. We believe that doing firsts is an important thing here at TBWA, and it's a personal value of mine too. Not first for novelty’s sake, but if you're trying to do cutting edge stuff, you're more likely to do it. So, having had creative leadership roles, writer roles, and having had a prior innovation role, I think it's almost a sign of the times that innovation and creative arts are one in the same. I like to look at it as just a different set of words to describe the same thing: leading clients forward and finding new ways to excite people.
LBB> You’re also a firm believer in mentor/mentee-ship, and passing these values on to the next generation of young creatives. How have you traditionally approached this? Why is it important to you?
Adam> I've been fortunate to have been mentored by some amazing people. Part of my going stateside was the opportunity to work with the likes of Jeff Goodby & Rich Silverstein, John Hegarty, Susan Credle, Greg Hahn, David Lubars - not only amazing creative legends, but amazing people. They teach you that doing things a certain way is as important as what you're doing, and the value of being kind, generous and open. I've crafted so many skill sets from what I've learned from them. So, I really count that for a lot of my luck - having worked with some great mentors who took the time to coach me and find the diamonds in the rough, so to speak.
In turn, I feel like it's my position to pay that forward. In terms of how I want to do it here, it's a little bit player-coach. I don't believe in delegating from the sidelines, but rather in demonstrating what we're doing. Creatives might get annoyed with me a little bit, but I like to get my hands dirty in the work and understand the problems that they're dealing with so I can show them another way to approach it, rather than come in after the fact and say 'It should have been done like this'. I prefer to try to do it in the moment where I can actually help the people and the work!
LBB> Building on this, is there any advice you’d like to give the young creatives who’ll be getting to know you in the coming months?
Adam> A big part of my career was working for Sir John Hegarty. He's a wonderful person, and he would walk around the creative department asking us what we're doing. If we weren't doing something pressing, he’d chase us out of the office and say, 'Go get inspired!'. He always said, 'Do interesting things, and interesting things will happen to you', and I'm a firm believer in that. That's advice that I got which I would pass on. And I think the reason I like it so much is if you're doing interesting things, you're exciting yourself in life, and our output is only as good as our input. I think people should stimulate themselves and push their boundaries.
LBB> Speaking of the agency, you’re seeking to lead a creative renaissance. With all of the above in mind, how will you be approaching this? Where will you start, and what will your goals be for 2024?
Adam> Hopefully I'm going to have a positive effect on the people and the work. Returning to the idea of the market, there seems to be a sense of limitation here that I don't think necessarily exists. I know people cross borders, ideas cross borders, productions cross borders, so I really hope to stand up at the end of the year and say, 'Look at some of this work we've made, it's as good as any work in the world!'. I think in doing that, we can remind people that when you're a local agency and you're powered by great global resources, you can do special things. Yes, there's been a lot of indie talk, network talk, and I love it all - I love the creativity, I love the work - but I believe in people. And I hope our work shows everyone that no matter where you're at, big or small, Canada or America, if you get the right team and the right intention, then you can do amazing things.
LBB> Building on this, are there any particular clients you’re excited to work with? And why?
Adam> We're lucky - we've got a lot of interesting relationships. In particular, for us, Nissan is a really important brand and plays a super important role, so I love taking on its mission, and the team is really thirsty to be thrilling and innovative. That's a brand I really hope to push!
The work the team has done for the Canadian Women’s Fund is incredible, and I look forward to furthering that message.
We've also got a great relationship with the CBC as well. We've launched a brand campaign, and learning how to be a better partner to the organisation is something I really look forward to. And then there's some new business in the pipeline that I can't quite talk about, but overall, I'm excited to show what the team can do.
LBB> And how will you be working alongside the leadership team to push the agency to its limits and achieve the strongest work possible? What will that collaboration look like?
Adam> It looks more casual than it is, because I think we really like each other, and we try to show a healthy cross pollination between departments. So, we actively work together quite a bit.
But, even though we've got a big name, we're a small agency by footprint and by mentality, and the leadership team works really well together, both with the big philosophical questions and how that applies to our work, and then also in the administrative sense. Des has been a huge part of the network, and Eve has helped grow some great creative cultures, so I think although we all come from different places, we have the same vision that we want to grow a really strong creative culture here. And we think the TBWA network, the TBWA brand, and the philosophies that drive it are really brave and bold. So, the vision is set, and we're excited to apply it. It's a new year, and for us it's a new chapter.
LBB> Finally, how does it feel to be back in Canada? Are there any things you’re especially excited to do now that you’re in Toronto?
Adam> I think smaller markets can do big things. So, I'm just really excited to meet a lot of the people, a lot of the production community, a lot of the creative community, and just enrich myself by becoming enmeshed in that. Selfishly, I want to get the best out of Toronto!
It also feels cold with a capital C, but notably, the city is vibrant. There's so much hustle and bustle, and I don't know if it's apparent to the people who swim in it every day. I lived in New York for a long time. I know about city energy, but it's just so alive here. It's diverse, and it's a really exciting place to be. I feel invigorated, and I'm really thankful to be back.
