Beattie, the creative communications group, has underlined its commitment to Canada by forming a new company with British Columbia based Tartan Group.
Beattie Tartan will have offices in Toronto, Calgary, Victoria and Vancouver, as well as Canadian billings of $2.5 million and a team of 12 PR, digital, social and creative specialists.
“Canada will be the springboard for our growth globally,” said Beattie Group CEO Laurna Woods. “It is a forward-thinking country, stable and diverse.
“I am impressed with the spirit of entrepreneurship I see in every province and the highly educated and skilled labour force. The businesses and people who are thriving in Canada are the type of clients and talent we want to attract.
“We are already planning a major recruitment drive for top digital, PR and social talent across Canada but especially in Toronto and Vancouver by building on Canada’s strong economy.
“Canadian cities are consistently rated as top places to live and work in the world, and we are proud to significantly invest in a country that has so much going for it.”
Tartan Group, a top west coast boutique agency with a 16-year track record, works with signature clients such as Destination Canada, Jordan Tourism Board, Aboriginal Tourism Association of Canada, the Adventure Travel Trade Association, the BC Ale Trail, Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort, the David Foster Foundation, V2V Vacations, Victoria International Marina, Long Beach Lodge Resort, Inn at Laurel Point, Oak Bay Beach Hotel, and University of Victoria’s Gustavson School of Business.
Internationally, Tartan has worked with Central America’s award winning Cayuga Collection for over eight years.
Beattie Tartan will roll out its integrated communications formula and digital expertise across the country.
Laurna Woods added: “We’re speaking to companies who are excited by digital-led communications. They see it as a completely fresh offering and we look forward to working with them to transform their PR and marketing strategies.”
Formed 31 years ago, Beattie Group has 130 people spread across 12 UK and Ireland offices including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Glasgow. It operates three headline brands Beattie, Only Marketing and 11ten with billings in the UK of £15m.
Beattie Tartan will be chaired by Beattie Group chairman, Kevin Roberts, the former global CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi and former President and CEO of Pepsi Cola Canada.
“Our goal is to become the most admired integrated creative communications agency in Canada,” said Deirdre Campbell, the founder of Tartan and now the managing director of Beattie Tartan.
“Together with Beattie we have created a formidable digital-led PR, marketing and creative team and we’re looking forward to expanding beyond our expertise in tourism to work with clients across various industry sectors including health, retail, education, real estate and technology.
“Beattie’s award winning team of digital specialists bring a distinct competitive advantage to the Canadian marketplace and we look forward to showcasing our expertise to brands across Canada.”
