Agency Doner Heads Back North as Canada's First-Ever Creative Commerce Agency

Stagwell (formerly MDC Partners Inc.) today announced the launch of DonerNorth, a progressive first-of-its-kind agency that fills the much-needed marketing services white space in the Great White North. Through the fusion of UNION’s creative, digital and media expertise and 6 Degrees’ award-winning shopper innovation and data-driven insights, DonerNorth is premised on the belief that big unifying ideas should be designed to connect and convert consumers from the start.  

Underpinned by predictive intelligence, this newly formed super agency will craft creative ideas with certainty that both inspire and nudge to conversion in the most relevant micro-moments – the way people actually fall in love and buy brands in real life.

Three visionary leaders from the two combined entities will help accelerate the new path forward: Catherine Marcolin, President; Lance Martin, Chief Creative Officer and former co-founder of UNION; and Adrianne Gaffney Wotherspoon, Chief Strategist and former Managing Partner of 6 Degrees.

“Creative agencies tell insightful, connective stories.  Shopper agencies create programs that drive conversion.  No agency – until now – does both well,” says Marcolin.  “As consumers move through living, shopping and buying moments quickly and seamlessly in a way they never have before, an agency that uses data, strategy and insight to be as impactful creatively as commercially is not only unique, but necessary in a post-Covid and soon to be post-cookie world,” adds Gaffney Wotherspoon. 

As someone who has successfully helped launch two alternative agencies already – Taxi 2 and UNION – Lance Martin is no stranger to embracing change and seizing the opportunity to redefine how hard creative can work for clients: “At the core, inspirational stories or ideas are always going to be necessary to capture the attention of consumers. DonerNorth is going to take that one step further.  We will convert consumers to buyers without losing the creative magic of the idea and are excited to do that for our clients.”

DonerNorth is an integral component of Doner Partners Network (DPN) within Stagwell. Doner -- based in Detroit with offices in and LA and Connecticut – left Canada a decade ago after 3 decades of creating some of the most iconic TV spots for automotive and healthcare clients, along with Canada’s top retailer.  Over the last year, both UNION and 6 Degrees have shared high profile assignments with Doner between borders including supporting the development of Super Bowl spots and winning and growing shared clients like Johnson & Johnson.  

“I couldn’t be more excited to be back in Canada.  Doner has always had a shared sensibility with this country,” says David Demuth, CEO of Doner and DPN Chair.  “Now, with DonerNorth, we are graduating into something that smartly addresses where the puck is going, and not where it’s been.”

Krista Webster, the Vice-Chair of DPN and CEO of PR & Influencer sisters, Veritas Communications and Meat & Produce, believes DonerNorth will be the most impactful creative commerce agency in North America because we’ve done the research, been deliberate in what we offer and have been successfully test-driving it already with key clients. 

“CMO’s – especially in Canada – need assurance that their marketing dollars are going towards the right things at the right time.  We aren’t promising to be everything – just everything that matters,” says Webster.