TAXI DELIVERS KNOCKOUT PUNCH - Strategy

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the future is now
BY CAREY TOANE Strategy’s Agency of the Year award turns 20 next year. After nearly two decades of recognizing
the best of Canadian advertising, it’s impressive to see the strides the industry has made – and
the place it’s carving for itself in the global arena.
The judges scored a very close race between fi erce competitors, putting Taxi back on top for a fi fth
knock-’em-down-drag-’em-out victory led by new CEO Rob Guenette (in the ring) and ECD Steve
Mykolyn (on the ropes). The judges also commented on the state of the industry as a whole. “More
and more, we celebrate the ‘no-advertising’ advertising,” says creative panel judge Gaëtan Namouric,
creative VP at Montreal agency Bleublancrouge. “Somehow, Canada makes the demonstration that a
great idea can be ‘out of media,’ and it could be our international trademark.”
On the strategic panel, director of communications and public affairs at Bombardier Transport
Genevieve Dion agrees, from a marketer’s perspective: “There is tremendous creativity in
our industry, deep understanding of client challenges in a world overcrowded with messages.
Canadian agencies are pushing the limits and fi nding new ways of looking at things.”
Who’s packing the punch? Turn the page to fi nd out.
www.strategymag.com STRATEGY November 2008 25