Bryan Mills – Creative Director
September 2014 – Present

With decades of “Class A” corporate communication experience among blue chip companies, Bryan Mills has built a solid reputation in the areas of Investor Relations, Annual Reporting, and Corporate Branding. As creative director, I lead a talented and diverse group across a number of traditional and digital platforms.
• Help build staffing resources, processes, change management and promote culture throughout the agency.
• Evolve the agency’s product and create opportunities to re-invent the business through ideas and innovation.
• Over the last 24 months, I’ve had the privilege of launching 3 major re-branding initiatives within the B-B sector:
1. Stuart Olson – Canada’s largest commercial construction company
2. ONE Properties – (formally Western Asset Management Group) a western based commercial/residential developer.
3. RYCOM – One of Canada’s best SMART technology companies.

Publicis Modem – VP, Creative Director, Digital
2006 – 2011

Part of a core agency team involved in the creation of Publicis Canada’s digital offering. My responsibility was to guide the work of a growing creative department of over 20+ staff. As a leader, I contributed to the agency’s values, processes, and outputs and influenced projects across a multitude of channels and categories. A strong focus on new business, it’s where we managed growth and innovation of the agency and where we defined our entrepreneurial spirit and culture of the organization.
• Integral in all historic agency new business wins including Microsoft, CIBC, HP, Kia, Allstream, Canada Post, Rogers, Labatt, Home Depot, Chrysler, The Government of Ontario, to name just a few.
• Successfully transitioned an existing print creative department into digital. This was achieved by the organic growth of our existing client base and “Pure-Play” digital wins to the business including PayPal, LG, Whirlpool, Metro, Chapters/Indigo and The McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine.
• Built long-term staffing and freelance support within a growing and evolving interactive department. Managed growth and attrition through a junior internship program, which produced many successful full-time employees.
• Collaborated with many internal, cross-discipline agency stakeholders to identify and create opportunities across the organization.
• Actively involved in all aspects of clients’ business with a primary focus on digital such as engagement, social, CRM and enterprise digital solutions.

Publicis Dialog – Creative Director
2000 – 2007

After Publicis acquired SMW Advertising, I was hired to help build the direct, CRM/loyalty and promotional department for the agency. It was the modest beginning of what Marketing Magazine would eventually label: “Agency of the Year” in 2001. It was the experience that influenced some of the best work of my career and would become a time of incredible growth and momentum professionally for me as well as the agency. As the industry matured into digital channels, I lead an already talented creative department into the space and continued to develop our in-house capabilities in this area. A true “digital immigrant” I found the business change forever right in front of me.
• Built the creative department from 3 to more than 15, multi-disciplined professionals.
• Worked and collaborated with parent agency Hal Riney in San Francisco for our global client, HP.
• Won many industry awards on behalf of HP, Canada Post and Purina.
• Direct responsibility and creative direction for clients such as HP, Canada Post, Purina, Allstream, CIBC, Cognos and Walmart.

Publicis Dialog – Creative Director
2000 – 2007

After Publicis acquired SMW Advertising, I was hired to help build the direct, CRM/loyalty and promotional department for the agency. It was the modest beginning of what Marketing Magazine would eventually label: “Agency of the Year” in 2001. It was the experience that influenced some of the best work of my career and would become a time of incredible growth and momentum professionally for me as well as the agency. As the industry matured into digital channels, I lead an already talented creative department into the space and continued to develop our in-house capabilities in this area. A true “digital immigrant” I found the business change forever right in front of me.
• Built the creative department from 3 to more than 15, multi-disciplined professionals.
• Worked and collaborated with parent agency Hal Riney in San Francisco for our global client, HP.
• Won many industry awards on behalf of HP, Canada Post and Purina.
• Direct responsibility and creative direction for clients such as HP, Canada Post, Purina, Allstream, CIBC, Cognos and Walmart.

TBWA/Chiat Day – Associate Creative Director 1997 – 2000
Chiat “Day and Night”, as we fondly knew it, was simply an agency where creative things happened. It was the golden era of print and late night press checks. The work was grueling but I loved it – as reflected in the numerous awards including Best of Show at the Canadian Marketing Association on behalf of Nissan Canada.
I worked alongside some amazing and talented individuals, who shaped the way I think and who instilled in me, skills and disciplines I benefit from to this day. My responsibility was to create ideas and execute work on behalf of some great brands such as Nissan, Infinity, Petro-Canada, Canadian Airlines, and Shoppers Drug Mart.

Casera Communications and Design Inc.
1993 – 1998

Operated a successful creative freelance business for 5 years, serving a direct client base and projects for some of the country’s largest advertising agencies. During this time, I grew an appreciation of what it takes to run a business, nurture clients and deliver great work.

The Russo Group – Art Director/Designer
1990 – 1993

Worked in a small creative boutique agency that created innovative work within direct and promotions. Although small, the firm executed projects for some formative brands such as: MasterCard, Canada Trust, CIBC, Royal Bank, Manitoba Hydro, P&G, Johnson & Johnston and Molson.

The Toronto Sun – Jr. Mechanical Artist
1989-1990

I was part of a large group of assembly artists that created artwork for the pages of the Toronto Sun. Crazy times indeed, however, it was a great place to work and filled with amazing people.