Angus Tucker has long been one of Canada’s most successful and respected creative leaders. While he’s stepped away from the daily grind of agency life, we are delighted to announce he’ll be writing a regular column for Campaign.
The Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania is home to the fattest, laziest lions in the world.
The prey here is so plentiful that the lions don't have to be apex predators to survive. Olduvai lions can basically snooze under a tree knowing that some dimwitted deer is going to walk by any minute and stumble into their jaws mid-yawn. You know how you feel after Thanksgiving dinner? Bloated and unable to move? That's these lions all the time.
Meanwhile, the lions out on the Serengeti are still the lean, efficient killing machines of old. They have to be. There's not much food around, and only the fittest make it.
Which brings me to the state of Canadian advertising agencies.
We are the Serengeti lions.
Hungrier, leaner, nimbler, smarter and more resourceful, because we've had to be. Unlike our global counterparts in New York, London and Tokyo, we haven't got used to throwing massive amounts of money at a paper-thin idea. And in 35 years, I've never once heard someone here call a celebrity an idea.
But, unfortunately, we're Canadian.
And our inherent humility still makes us think we don't measure up to the big girls and boys who show up at Cannes every year with their branded tents and sponsored raves on the beach.
And if I had one wish for Canadian agencies in 2024, it's to understand just how f***ing good we are right now.
Because there is only one thing that we lack versus any agency in the U.S. (and anywhere else for that matter): confidence.
So, here's your pump-up speech.
In 2023 at the Cannes Festival, we had three of the top 10 most awarded agencies in North America, and two in the top three. I’m looking at you #2 FCB and #3 Rethink, and a fist bump to BBDO at #8. For perspective, W+K was at #4. (Have you heard of W+K? Little agency in Portland? Check ‘em out. They’re pretty good.)
That's not punching above our weight. That's tactical nuclear weaponing above our weight.
Can you imagine how well we'd do if we were part of the "you vote for me, I'll vote for you" strategic voting alliances? We'd need a container ship to get home all the trophies. So enough with the "we need to show that we can compete with the best in the world" stuff.
We can, because we have. Mission accomplished.
Secondly, Canadians travel really, really well. There are hundreds of Canadian creative people, strategists, data heads, account people and producers in some of the very best agencies in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere. Many of them are holding senior positions at places like Droga, W&K, Mischief, Goodby, Anomaly, Apple, Mother and others. There are so many Canadians working elsewhere, they don't even hear "aboot" jokes anymore. The novelty has completely worn off.
We succeed over there because we've been trained here.
Young people get exposed to a level of responsibility at a far younger age here than they do in bigger, more stratified agencies in the U.S. Here, a junior writer might get to work on a rebrand of a national telco or bank. In the U.S., that same junior might get a crack at a promo radio spot for a discount liquor store in Western Pennsylvania.
Because Canadian agencies lack the layers and sheer numbers of people, we get used to doing way more than just our own job. So we know more about the whole business, rather than just our little piece of it. It makes us more rounded, and more capable when we head elsewhere.
And there's another thing that makes us very attractive to foreign clients. I almost hate to mention it. It's not sexy. It won't get you that first date, but it just might put a ring on that finger.
But if value for money is an underlying pillar of somewhat successful companies like Toyota, Ikea, Volkswagen, Walmart, and Costco, I think we can lean into the value story here. Canadian agencies are like Shohei Ohtani before signing that monster $700 million contract in free agency—ridiculously good value.
You've heard that expression: "Cheap, fast, good. Pick two". If you're an American client using a Canadian agency, you can now pick three. Because the American dollar is worth $1.34 Canadian. So your $10 million production budget is now $13.4 million. That may not be the sexiest reason to choose an agency, but if procurement is your audience, that’s fantastic pillow talk.
So what I'm hinting at here (with a megaphone), is that there is no good reason why Canadian agencies can't start winning U.S. business. None.
But I can still hear a few voices in the back of the room.
"Americans like working with Americans." Really? American CEOs have sent millions of manufacturing jobs offshore over the past few decades, so they seem pretty cool with the idea of sending work beyond their borders.
"Opening an office in the States is expensive." Post-pandemic, an office is now a WeWork space and a good wireless plan. The "cost of entry" barrier, which seemed so high pre-Covid, is now a blown-over hurdle on a track field. Anyone can get over it.
"Nike's not going to leave Portland." No, but no-one said we have to take on the monsters right out of the gate. But what about a regional bank in Western New York? Most good agencies in NYC, Chicago and L.A. won't even look at a client with less than US$5 million to spend. That's more than $7 million Canadian.
As my old agency partner and chief executive Arthur used to bluff: "Only $7 million? Well, it'll be tough, but we'll figure out a way to make that money work."
The point is Canada has never been in a better position to go after American clients and American budgets. We have the track record, the talent, and a dollar that's trading at about US$0.74.
I was having lunch with a friend at a Canadian agency not too long ago, who was telling me that they were going to be speaking at this big, international, creative conference.
Humble as ever, they said they were nervous about it, being on stage with all these other accomplished creative directors. I looked them in the eye: "Are you kidding me? After the work your agency has done, they are scared to death about being on the same stage with you. You need to understand that. And you need to believe it."
We all do.
Angus Tucker is co-founder and former chief creative officer at John St.
