Why Dentsu Creative Canada Is Like a Michelin Star Restaurant

Some big news came out of Dentsu Creative Canada at the end of April when it was revealed Ari Elkouby would be taking on the role of chief creative officer, coming aboard from VML. An exciting move, not only does this acquisition round out the agency’s leadership team – something which has seen drastic changes since late last year – but it confirms that, at last, a worthy successor has been found for Jordan Doucette.

Indeed, Ari and the future of dentsu’s Canadian offering are going to be worth keeping an eye on in the coming months. A man with a reputation for human-centric storytelling, he’ll be drawing upon his vast portfolio of experience across both Canada and the US to blend technology and craft into meaningful, business-driven work. Tasked not only with doing this for the agency, but fuelling creativity across several of the network’s other brands – Carat, dentsu x, iProspect, ICUC, Tag and Merkle – it’s the perfect opportunity to capitalise on Dentsu Creative’s recent momentum in Canada, and build upon the creative offering which helped the agency climb 10 spots to secure a top three ranking in the ICA’s Creative Power List.

To learn more about how he’ll be approaching all of this, as well as what inspired him to come onboard in the first place, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with Ari for a chat.

LBB> Obviously, the big news is that you joined Dentsu Creative Canada, taking on the role of CCO. Congratulations! What inspired this decision?

Ari> I truly believe that to be the best partners to our clients, you need all the tools available to you to solve their specific business problem. With dentsu’s deep bench of capabilities all under one roof, it was an opportunity to apply that belief in new ways.

LBB> What are you hoping to accomplish in this role, both personally and professionally? Do you have a specific mandate for the year and beyond?

Ari> I like to compare Dentsu Creative to a Michelin star restaurant. It already has one star, so my responsibility is to keep it and hopefully add a second star or two to the door.

My ambition for the agency is that we create work that not only responds to culture, but creates it as well. We have the privilege of working on some of the best brands in the world, which comes with a responsibility of delivering world-class creativity at every stage of the customer journey.

LBB> Building on this, how will you approach unlocking transformative creativity for the agency?

Ari> We have the capabilities in house to drive innovation while making the register ring for our clients. A growth opportunity I’m really excited about is unlocking brand storytelling through creative commerce. There’s a renaissance in advertising of creating measurable impact through brand experiences connected to frictionless transactions – something every client cares deeply about.

LBB> Notably, you’ve joined Dentsu Creative at a time of strong agency momentum – how will you be working to leverage this in your favour? Is there a certain direction you’re hoping to take the shop’s creative in?

Ari> The momentum is real, and you can feel it. I’m hoping to use it to bring all the offerings under the dentsu umbrella together, not just in Canada, but around the world. We have amazing global hubs of excellence like Dentsu Lab, which gives our clients access to an R&D practice to prototype and launch innovative products and solutions that enhance society and our client’s business.

LBB> Let’s talk a little more about you. What made now the right time for a new home? And how have the early days been thus far?

Ari> I believe agencies are like classrooms – they challenge you and prepare you for what comes next. This opportunity presented new challenges to really carve out a white space in the market for an agency offering that is as integrated as ours is.

To answer the second question, the early days have been incredible. The creative community is super connected, and the willingness to collaborate across borders and practice areas is something the whole agency is really enjoying.

LBB> Given that you’ve spent much of your career working across network agencies, how are you finding dentsu? What sort of resources do you have at your disposal, and would you say this is your preferred working model?

Ari> I see my role as a universal adaptor – in some ways – that allows different disciplines to plug into creating powerful outcomes for our clients. I find organisations that have this wiring already done make this kind of connecting that much easier.

I see dentsu this way – an organisation with resources at the ready across creative, media, social, technology, and insights, just a desk or phone call away. As a creative person, I cherish that type of access to talent.

LBB> Speaking of networks, you’ve also been charged with fuelling creativity across multiple of dentsu’s brands. How will you be juggling this responsibility?

Ari> It’s pretty organic, to be honest. So much of our work already requires collaboration across channels, so it isn’t something that takes too much extra effort. We meet regularly as a team, which has already led to a number of spontaneous initiatives that are really exciting.

LBB> Equally so, you’ve expressed a desire to redefine what creative excellence looks like. What’s your vision here? On a practical level, what can people expect?

Ari> Creative excellence really comes down to creating desire for our clients at every stage of the customer journey. It’s a focus on levelling up the work, not only on the large investment pieces, but on the little opportunities as well. I want to create an environment where people feel open to sharing their wildest ideas, regardless of the department they sit in.

LBB> With all this in mind, where do you think dentsu’s place is within the Canadian market at the moment? And why?

Ari> I think dentsu sits at an intersection of so many interesting offerings: media, social, sports marketing, production, data and technology, and of course, creativity. I truly believe it’s an undisputed leader in this sense. My goal is to make some more noise about what we offer, and the work we do that brings these disciplines together.

LBB> Finally, what should your new Dentsu Creative co-workers know about you? Is there anything fun you’d like to share?

Ari> Anyone who’s spent more than 10 minutes with me probably knows I’m a pretty big sports fan, and has likely had to endure a sports analogy from me. I think there’s so many crossovers between fandom and brand affinity that can be harnessed to turn casual fans of a brand into die-hards.