5 Minutes with… Claude Auchu
As partner and CEO of LG2 it is Claude Auchu's job to steer the ship of Canada's largest independent creative agency.
A designer by trade, who dreamed of creating comic books as a child, Claude's roots with the agency began in 2006 when its founders entrusted him with launching lg2boutique, LG2's first in-house design studio. Prior to that, he was quick to found his own business fresh out of university - launching Virage Communication Design, as well as the creative agency Bob.
Claude's current role, which he has been in since January 2017, means his vision must stretch even further than design practices at LG2. The agency is made up of 500 people that operate across a vast array of capabilities, such as creative advertising, graphic, spatial, motion and digital design, digital product development, e-commerce, employer brand, CRM and architecture. It's an approach that allows LG2 to impact every level of its clients' organisations: "their business and brand vision, their products, their employee and client experience, their distribution and sales channels, their physical environments and, yes, their content and communications," to put it in Claude's words.
To find out more, LBB's Addison Capper spoke with Claude.
LBB> You are a creative by trade. How does that part of you inform the way you run LG2 as its CEO?
Claude> My background as a designer - which was not so long ago - brings a different perspective to running an agency.
First of all, you have to understand that it’s completely natural for us to have a creative as the group’s head. LG2 is first and foremost an agency focused on creative and strategic products. The quality of the product has always been a source of pride and a key driver of our growth. Our focus on creativity has attracted the right talent and the right clients for over 30 years. You can see it in our governance structure; there are many creative minds among our shareholders and executive team. This approach is unique to us and encourages diverse backgrounds. It reflects who we are and brings us closer together. It’s a testament to our core interest in the creative product.
As a result, our management thinking is also very different – more entrepreneurial than executive. This different sensibility colours the agency’s entire culture. It’s a collaborative, less ego-centric culture. As we like to say, a good idea can come from anyone.
In my work as a graphic designer, I learned many things that serve me well as a CEO today. In design, I was trained to think innovatively about the challenges around me, to develop matrix-like thinking, and to find effective solutions while having a pervasive sense of sustainability (that ideas must be strong enough to endure). For me, this mindset is as pertinent for rethinking brand platforms and refreshing packaging systems as it is for leading a vision and inspiring and coaching our teams to make it happen.
In short, learning to become a designer opens the door to curiosity, which is critical to seizing new opportunities and understanding how to make them happen. Both creating and managing often take you into the unknown.
LBB> LG2 is the biggest independent agency in Canada. Outside of that fact, how would you define the agency and its place in the Canadian industry? What sets it apart from others?
Claude> Our brand experience service offering is probably what sets us apart. When we develop brands, we think in terms of ecosystems and align all layers of the organisations we work with: their vision, voice and design system, their products and the way they are packaged, their distribution channels - whether they are physical or digital - their employee and client experiences, and their content and advertising - whether they shout to millions or whisper in the right person’s ear. To do so, we have a wide range of ever-growing expertise (15+ categories), such as graphic, spatial, motion and digital design, digital product development, e-commerce, employer brand, CRM and architecture, etc. We’re helping clients align the commercial, employer and citizen dimensions of their brand.
One other thing that sets us apart is the fact that with 500+ employees, we are still an indie. We want to set an example and show that entrepreneurship can scale. We really hope to pave the way for other indies that, like us, see independence not as an infancy phase, but as a platform for sustained and sustainable success.
LBB> The agency has a presence in Toronto, but its roots are firmly in Montreal. How does that heritage and spirit influence LG2 as an agency and the work it does for its clients?
Claude> We love the clash of ideas, we love the diversity of perspectives and visions. That’s what creates innovation! I feel that our clients and talents from across Canada benefit from this mindset every day. Our heritage and reputation for creativity has always opened our minds and broadened our horizons.
Our DNA is also made up of a genuine desire to invest in the growth of the talents and clients who place their confidence in us, and to make room for people who don’t quite fit the mould. It’s also the approach taken by our Toronto office, which rests on the same solid foundations but is influenced by the local culture there.
Our heritage is a great source of pride. LG2’s roots are in entrepreneurship, resourcefulness, risk-taking and risk management, confidence (minus the arrogance) in our ability to innovate, to think outside the box and a bit of that je ne sais quoi.
LBB> Speaking of work for clients, which projects from LG2 recently have you been particularly proud of and why?
Claude> I’m very honest, I really think a lot about the work that all of our teams produce. What I'm most proud of, however, is the way we manage our client relationships. We have trusted clients (both large and small) that have been with us for 10 to 15 years, and thanks to our strong partnership, we can constantly help them keep their business fresh. We build business relationships that last. I’m especially pleased that the agency is a game changer for our clients and trusted partners at pivotal moments in their development.
If I had to point to a recent project I’m proud of, it would be our work with the Zellers brand in Canada. Our team in Toronto did a tremendous job working with the client to prepare this beloved brand’s re-entry into the Canadian market after an absence of over 10 years. We revamped the brand identity and set up their e-commerce platform. It has been received very well so far.
LBB> The work that LG2 does is so diverse and encapsulates far more than just advertising. For example, architecture is an important part of the business. Can you outline the capabilities that LG2 has and how each of those capabilities developed and evolved?
Claude> Yes that’s true, we do more than just advertising. We do brand experiences, and we’ve built a unique set of capabilities over the last few years that allows us to make a positive impact at every level of our clients’ organisations: their business and brand vision, their products, their employee and client experience, their distribution and sales channels, their physical environments and, yes, their content and communications - whether they’re whispering in one ear or connecting to millions of hearts and minds. These capabilities include digital product design and development (web and mobile, e-commerce, experiential), consulting (corporate positioning and alignment, business design, employer brand, innovation), advanced analytics, shopper marketing and spatial design (retail, workplaces and public spaces through LG2 Architecture). And in 2022, we launched alinea, a joint PR and public affairs venture with TACT.
Creativity is our fuel, and it’s central to everything we do. When we integrate a new service offering, before we look at market demand and potential revenue, we ask ourselves: ‘Can we infuse this expertise with creativity? Can we attract the very best creative minds to do it?’.
LBB> As CEO, how do you oversee such a variety of specialisms, ensuring each one of them can flourish but also operate under one driving mission?
Clause> First step: communicate that vision! It may sound simplistic, but an organisation’s vision, mission and values are often poorly communicated. We need to take the time to explain them internally, to break them down and make them more understandable. In fact, it takes continuous effort. Employees will understand where we’re going and will follow if they connect with the reasons to believe.
Once the vision is understood, the leaders of the different areas of expertise must convey it and nurture it within their respective teams. That’s why trust between members is so crucial. There has to be some latitude too, as well as doubt and trial and error. It’s up to the leaders to carry this vision, experience it themselves and pass it on. We must provide the tools for each expertise to flourish under this common driving vision of our product. And we must nourish interdisciplinary curiosity. A vision is a dynamic thing that’s constantly changing. There must be room for each expertise to add its own touch.
LBB> LG2 recently created a board of directors, which is not so normal for privately owned businesses in Canada. What inspired that move? Why did it make sense for the agency and how did you go about putting the board together?
Claude> At LG2, we usually reinvent ourselves when everything is going well. We don’t wait for things to go wrong to change. In light of our substantial growth in recent years, we reassessed our governance model to make sure it could meet our changing needs going forward. There were two main takeaways. First, we wanted to institute a separation of powers among our organisation’s leaders, to ensure we reap the benefits of diverse viewpoints, constantly challenge one another, and consistently make the best decisions for LG2. Second, we wanted to draw on the expertise of outside leaders to bring new ideas and fresh perspectives to the table. That’s why we established a board of directors to support senior management, even though our corporate structure doesn’t require it.
We also wanted to be challenged and diversify our viewpoints. To do so, I decided to leave the board chair to a well-known, successful Canadian businesswoman: Monique Leroux. She was the perfect fit for us. First, as a businesswoman and corporate director, she’s passionate about the environmental and social aspects of corporate governance. Second, she knows LG2 well and believes in our vision, our entrepreneurial independence and our ability to do things differently. We were business partners when she was chair and CEO of Desjardins Group. And Ms. Leroux is a woman of action who thrives on challenges and is well known for her people-first approach. Once she accepted our invitation, our management team worked with her to identify potential candidates, who then applied to the independent selection committee.
LG2’s board of directors is gender-balanced and representative of our diverse stakeholders, which includes our clients, partners and suppliers, as well as our employees and shareholders. We felt that a mix of internal and external directors was the best way to achieve that goal.
LBB> How did you wind up in advertising? Was it a bit of a happy accident or something you planned?
Claude> It was completely by chance. My dream was to create comics!
I actually don’t come from an entrepreneurial or communication background. I didn’t grow up surrounded by business people, and I never thought or dreamed of being the CEO of a company.
My parents gave me the most beautiful gift – a gift you can’t buy: confidence. Thanks to them, I’ve always had this desire to push things a bit further, to dive in, to test the waters. A confidence that pushes me to act, an entrepreneur’s naivety and the belief that anything is possible.
My interest in comics eventually landed me in a graphic design programme at the Université de Québec à Montréal. After several years working in the communication and entrepreneurial world, I crossed paths with an incredible playground called LG2. I set up lg2boutique, its branding and design practice. I've been there since 2006 and it’s a great honour to lead the group.
So, I come from a design background, not an advertising one. Advertising is still a big part of our company and one of the nearly 15 areas of expertise that make up our service offering.
LBB> Outside of work, what keeps you inspired? Your LinkedIn bio suggests that you're partial to a challenge!
Claude> In my spare time, I need calm, not inspiration. The sheer pace and volume of daily information is exhilarating but can also be mentally exhausting. So, I like to have activities that keep me away from screens, close to nature and focused on the moment, such as running an ultra-marathon in the forest, trekking in Patagonia, climbing into a boxing ring or riding a motorcycle across the Sahara. I like to get out of my comfort zone and try new things. I have an insatiable childlike curiosity that keeps my mind young and alert.
