We Are Social adds Canada to its growing global network

Nov. 12, 2019

Socially-led creative agency network We Are Social is setting its sights on the Canadian market with the launch of its 15th international office, in Toronto, Canada.

Led by managing director Coby Shuman, previously of Huge, the agency is already working with a number of global brands in Canada, including Yokohama, Intuit and Lorex.

Canada has 25 million active social media users (67% of the population) according to We Are Social’s 2019 Global Digital Report. The Canadian launch is part of a wider growth strategy from the agency to expand into influential and culturally active social markets, where brands have the potential to connect with people in meaningful ways.

Shuman, who will report into We Are Social’s UK chief executive Jim Coleman, played a pivotal role in building Huge’s Canadian office, leading key client partnerships including Nike, Canada Goose, Indigo and Canadian Tire. Prior to this, he held leadership roles at Sapient and Ogilvy & Mather offices in London, New York and Toronto.

The entry into the Canadian market is through the creation of a partnership between We Are Social and Vision7 International. Vision7 is Canada’s leading marketing services group, operating 12 agencies including Cossette, Citizen Relations, and Jungle Media. We Are Social is the latest agency to join the thriving Vision7 Canadian campus and will benefit from access to a well built infrastructure of shared services and resources from across the group.

Earlier this year, We Are Social opened a Tokyo office, following launches in 2018 in Hong Kong and Madrid and its majority acquisition of Dubai-based agency, Socialize.

Coby Shuman, managing director, Toronto at We Are Social, commented:

“Ambitious Canadian marketing leaders are hungry for disruptive socially-led creative ideas. Our goal is to help them become more social. Canada’s cultural diversity presents enormous opportunity for the international brands, homegrown global brands, and our thriving startup community to create a social value exchange with their audiences.”

 

Jim Coleman, UK chief executive, We Are Social said:

“Canada has huge creative potential, there’s an opportunity for brands to become far more active in Canadian social media culture. It’s a market we’ve been watching very closely and now, with Coby at the helm, we feel the stars have aligned and it’s the right time to launch We Are Social in Canada. Coby brings exceptional leadership ability combined with experience working with brands l