Cam Boyd
Toronto,Ontario
Summary
Over the past 20 + years, I've built brands, client confidence and consumer love on businesses ranging from global package goods brands and massive video game launches to pro-bono campaigns for local yarn shops. My work, and the work I’ve stewarded, has consistently outperformed client benchmarks and has been recognized at nearly every advertising festival both internationally and domestically. Through these achievements I have earned the respect of clients, peers and production partners. But for all my personal success, I’m prouder still of the difference I’ve made in the careers of the people who have worked for me and departments I’ve built and overseen.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
Work History
Executive Creative Director
John St
10.2018 - Current
- I oversee the creative output for one of Canada's most well know creative agencies.
- Not only has this role been creatively rewarding, It has also allowed me to reaffirm my love of working with young teams and help support them to find their voice, to train them in presentation skills and develop their business acumen beyond just the creative and instill a higher-minded awareness of the business they work on.
- Despite the hardships and uncertainty of COVID and economic pressures facing the country, my brands have been doing the best work of their john st tenure with significant media and PR attention given to the work and consistently over achieving on business metrics.
- Clients: Home Hardware, Boston Pizza, Loblaw, Shoppers Drug Mart, Biore, Jergens, John Frieda, Sunwing, GoodFood, Giant Tiger,
Creative Director/ Principal
Saint Bernard Advertising Collective
02.2016 - Current
- With permission and knowledge of john st, I continue to use my name, reputation and strong client and production relationships, to create an agile advertising collective capable of upsizing and downsizing based on the client's need
- I have secured preferred vendor relationship with RBC and Rogers Sportsnet and developed enough trust with the team to be the go-to agency resource for RBC Emerging Artist Project assignments
- In addition, as the Canadian advertising landscape changes daily, I have adapted with it focusing on direct to client and direct to production company brand work
- Clients: RBC, Kellogg’s, Canada Goose, Sportsnet, Elite Dairy, Belmont Meats.
VP/ ECD/ Partner
Cummins & Partners
10.2015 - 02.2016
- Became a partner in an Australian based agency network with a strong history of breakthrough creative
- Helped to create a tight-knit small agency that believed in each other so much they would work through extraordinary circumstances and work through some extraordinary circumstances we did.
- Due to the bankruptcy of our founding global client, the agency unfortunately dissolved abruptly. Although this was in no fault to the creative work or my leadership, the results were painful. That said, I would not trade that experience for anything as there was a great deal of learning I received through this time that has proved to be unique and immeasurable in hindsight
- Clients: Zenbanx, Nandos, Hyundai
VP, Executive Creative Director
Traffik
06.2014 - 10.2015
- Became a member of the C suite of an agency traditionally known for shopper and in-store but was seeking to reinvent itself
- Built a creative department capable of creating cross-disciplinary work with the focus of owning the consumer journey from the shelf and instore displays to large scale brand broadcast pieces.
- Continued to grow and evolve Walmart’s successful “Toy Testers” Pre-Christmas campaign to include a partnership and long format broadcast partnership with Corus Entertainment
- Earned business almost entirely organically based on the confidence we earned with our clients
- Was a significant factor in the agency’s sale to an outside holding company in early 2015
- Clients: Xbox, Kellogg’s, Kashi, Scott’s, Diageo, Microsoft, Walmart, Cadillac Fairview, Nestle, Canada Bread
VP, Group Creative Director
Maclaren McCann
03.2011 - 06.2013
- Oversaw the agency’s most prestigious and covetous brands without the oversight of an ECD.
- Was responsible for leading the charge to blend cross-functional creative departments into one, more capable department.
- Responsible for winning several big accounts including Wind Mobile, the largest account in review in 2013.
- Clients: Xbox, Wind Mobile, MasterCard, Cadillac, Buick, GMC
Senior Copywriter
Taxi 2
05.2009 - 03.2011
- Was instrumental in making work that kept the agency in the discussion of top creative agencies in Canada.
- Was responsible for 3 of the 5 campaigns the Global Taxi network used in their creative pitch deck.
- Further mentored younger creative talent to embrace the responsibilities and freedoms advertising affords them.
- Work was recognized at ADCC, Marketing Awards, FWA Site of the day
- Clients: Yellow Pages, Cadbury, Dynamic Mutual Funds, Mini Automobiles
Senior Copywriter
Leo Burnett Toronto
10.2003 - 05.2009
- Created multi-dimensional advertising campaigns for U.S and Canadian markets with a focus on packaged goods that were adaptable for English, French and Spanish markets
- Created award-winning work that was recognized at Cannes, One Show, Marketing Awards, Cassies, ADCC, London Festivals, Crystals, Archive and numerous internal client and Publicis network awards
- Mentored young writers using the skills and lessons I have learned from previous agencies and melded them to create a philosophy of my own.
- Clients: Kellogg’s P&G Detergent brands, Coca Cola, Toronto Humane Society, Alachua Humane Society, Bell, Heinz, Smuckers Jam, Toronto Tourism
Senior Copywriter
Y&R
10.2002 - 10.2003
Freelance Copywriter
08.2001 - 10.2002
Copywriter
Maclaren McCann,
03.1997 - 08.2001
Jr. Copywriter
Doner Schur Peppler,
03.1996 - 03.1997
Education
Associate of Arts - Creative Advertising Broadcast
Seneca College
Toronto, ON05.1996
Skills
- Creative Direction
- Conceptual Thinking
- Entrepreneurial Mindset
- 360 Campaign Development
- Client Relations/ Trust Building
- Strategic Thinking
- Motivating and Mentoring
- AI insights and familiarity
- Poise under pressure
- Presentation Skills
Affiliations
John St ROOTS - Founding Member - 03/ 2020 - Present
John st Roots is the John St D&I team committed to making John St a more respectful, inclusive and observant place to work. Through ROOTS I have been honoured to create and present a discussion on Micro Aggression, facilitated all staff virtual tours and discussions of the Underground Railroad Heritage Museum in Niagara Falls, written countless ROOTS all staff emails on topics ranging from the Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Juneteenth and providing creative direction on all other material created by the team.
Miami Ad School Jan 2017 – June 2017
Instructor/ Professor
· Created a Copywriting course curriculum from scratch and taught a group of hungry but untrained students the art and patience of creating compelling, consumer-relevant copy.
· Was named the most inspiring instructor by several graduating students despite only teaching one semester.
· Although my class size was small, all of my students are now employed in Advertising agency creative departments except one, who has become a highly successful mixed media artist with work hanging in the AGO and Art Basel in Miami. I can’t argue with that.
Timeline
Executive Creative Director
John St
10.2018 - Current
Creative Director/ Principal
Saint Bernard Advertising Collective
02.2016 - Current
VP/ ECD/ Partner
Cummins & Partners
10.2015 - 02.2016
VP, Executive Creative Director
Traffik
06.2014 - 10.2015
VP, Group Creative Director
Maclaren McCann
03.2011 - 06.2013
Senior Copywriter
Taxi 2
05.2009 - 03.2011
Senior Copywriter
Leo Burnett Toronto
10.2003 - 05.2009
Senior Copywriter
Y&R
10.2002 - 10.2003
Freelance Copywriter
08.2001 - 10.2002
Copywriter
Maclaren McCann,
03.1997 - 08.2001
Jr. Copywriter
Doner Schur Peppler,
03.1996 - 03.1997
Associate of Arts - Creative Advertising Broadcast
Seneca College