Toronto employers of insight/strategy/planning people?

May 22, 2008 2:29 PM

I live in Toronto, and I want a new job. I currently create 'consumer insight-led innovation strategies' for the marketing department of a major retailer. I want to continue to work in the strategy, planning, consumer insights, trend forecasting, and/or consulting type of roles, but I want OUT of the big corporate cube farm. Please use your fantastic insider knowledge to tell me about the fantastic place to work that I don't know about yet.

Ideally, I'd love to be in an ad agency, branding agency, or boutique consultancy. Or elsewhere that has a non-"corporate" culture.

Tips & hints for getting the job are welcome, in addition to suggestions for great potential employers.

posted by Kololo to work & money (3 comments total)

You may want to go to one of Ad Club's events and start networking with the group of people you want to work with. I know that the interactive agency I used to work for had a (small) strategy group, and the parent company had a much larger one.
posted by lowlife at 5:59 PM on May 22, 2008

Well, there's Marketing Magazine, that's a good place to start.

Off the top of my head, agencies in Toronto:

Cossette (formerly AoR for Bell; the contract has just been taken away from them so this may not be the right time to get in there)
Young & Rubicam (powerhouse, major brands such as Ford, Bacardi)
Ogilvy & Mather (likewise; Quiznos & Home Depot I think)
Taxi (relatively young & hip)

There's a few others, but names are escaping me right now.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 8:34 PM on May 22, 2008

This is a great start, thanks for the Ad Club info lowlife, I hadn't heard about that before.

Aside from the big agencies, are there any smaller places that i might not have heard of?
posted by Kololo at 7:19 AM on May 23, 2008