KBS+P Expands Into Canada

http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/agency/e3i39cbc5228150ebabdaf173a2e5eaddc1

The New York-based MDC Partners shop has joined with sibling Allard Johnson to form KBS+P Canada. This gives the brand a 100-person presence in Toronto and Montreal. The Allard Johnson name will cease to be used. Key clients include Subway, Church & Dwight, Purdue Pharma and Merck.

Another MDC shop, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, made a similar move this summer, absorbing sibling Zig to rebrand as CP+B Canada.

Allard Johnson exec Mario Daigle will run KBS+P Canada as president, reporting to agency CEO Lori Senecal (pictured). Former Allard Johnson chief exec Terry Johnson becomes chairman. Dan Pawych is CCO. Cameron Wykes will serve as gm in Toronto and also lead BabyRobot, the shop's digital unit.

Johnson noted that the union gives the Canadian operations immediate access to "new capabilities, talent [from KBS+P] and further enhances our social media and digitally integrated offering for clients."

http://www.marketingmag.ca/english/news/agency/article.jsp?content=20101019_151238_8860
The agency informed clients of the change last Friday and Daigle said the reaction has been supportive and overwhelmingly positive. The client list includes Subway, Church and Dwight Canada, Dairy Farmers of Canada, The Keg Steakhouse and Bar, Purdue Pharma, and Merck.

KBS+P now has four offices–Toronto, Montreal, New York and Atlanta–and the new deal is being viewed as a perfect springboard for further international expansion. "We're looking for further expansion, whether Asia, Europe or Latin America, it's just a matter of time," said Daigle. "This is a big step towards that."