Ad Agency Dare Vancouver Names Two New Creative Directors

Dare’s Mia Thomsett and Addie Gillespie | BCBusiness

Following a tumultuous few months riddled with high-profile personnel exits, Vancouver ad agency Dare promoted Mia Thomsett (left) and Addie Gillespie to creative directors earlier this week

The two joined Dare two years ago as associate creative directors, producing work for MTS, John Frieda, and the Whistler Film Festival and collecting plenty of international hardware along the way from New York’s One Show, The Cannes Lions in France, the Webby Awards and the Bessies. In their new roles, Gillespie and Thomsett will lead creative teams across the agency’s portfolio of clients, including regional work for McDonald’s, BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, BCLC and the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Colin Schleining, president for parent company EDC North America noted that Dare looked across Canada and internationally to replace ex-CDs Rob Sweetman and Bryan Collins who left in February to eventually launch 123W, the city’s newest ad agency, with ex-Rethink Communications partner and design director Jeff Harrison. Schleining added that Gillespie and Thomsett were chosen based on their proven record at the agency. “Their approach to collaboration, new-world ideas and their digital perspective makes for a winning formula as we enter into our next phase of agency growth.”

The promotion also goes a long way to correcting a sad reality about the North American advertising industry. According to San Francisco-based 3% Conference, held this past March and scheduled again for October, despite the fact that women influence 80 per cent of consumer spending, only three per cent of creative directors at advertising agencies are women.