Founded in 2018, Humanise brings together independent advertising, video design, interactive marketing and strategic consulting firms, including advertising agency Bleublancrouge. The collective now welcomes a ninth member, the brand strategy and design agency BrandBourg.
Posted yesterday at 11:00 a.m.
“I’ve been wanting to strengthen our brand strategy and design departments for a while,” explains Sébastien Fauré, co-founder of Humanise and president of Bleublancrouge. “This agency is a beautiful little gem to discover. She has a 90% recommendation rate. She keeps her clients. She does an efficient job. »
“On our side, I noticed that our customers often asked us: “Can you do that for us?” Corporate video, for example,” continues Christian Pichette, President and Senior Partner of BrandBourg. “So we were looking for a partner that would allow us to diversify our services. »
MM. Fauré and Pichette praise the complementarity of the group formed. And the advantage, for small companies, of bringing together several areas of expertise. “In three years, we have created a critical mass to serve clients the size of Desjardins Group,” observes Sébastien Fauré. It facilitated our organic development, because the leaders have different networks, different relationships. Internally, it allows us to provide support services in human resources, IT and finance. We have acquired professional resources that an independent firm could not afford. »
Minority stake
Before welcoming BrandBourg into their ranks, Humanise partners took a minority financial stake in the newcomer. “For calls for tenders, broader than our expertise, we did not qualify,” reveals Christian Pichette. This financial link makes us more credible. »
“Companies do not lose control of their business, however, adds Sébastien Fauré. It’s a marriage of convenience, a cooperative state of mind. »
Moreover, there is no commission to be given to an agency which obtains a contract with the client of another agency of the group.
The beauty of the Humanize model is that it is voluntary. It’s mutual aid. From a human point of view, it is safer and more stimulating to be part of a big family. Growth can be driven by such an association, as specialized companies have preferred customers.
Christian Pichette, President and Senior Partner of BrandBourg
“Almost all the agencies of the collective are occupied, in particular thanks to this mutual aid, continues Sébastien Fauré. All is not idyllic, but so far, it has generated significant growth. »
The direction of Bleublancrouge wishes, thanks to Humanise, to preserve its independence, whereas more and more advertising and marketing agencies in Quebec belong, in whole or in part, to foreign interests. “The objective of the collective is to manage the generational transfer, says Sébastien Fauré. The advertising industry has become a branch industry. We intend to remain independent as long as possible to create a strong corporate culture. We want to retain decision-making power. »
At nine, the group has 320 employees in Montreal and Toronto. He can thus eye international mandates. And, as Mr. Fauré says, take better care of employees and, consequently, make their companies more attractive to future employees. “To take care of people, you need resources,” he notes. Entrepreneurs have access to more support. So they can focus on what’s important. Moreover, we make better decisions by putting several brains together. »