“Everyone Is Crystal Clear on What Winning Looks Like”: Aaron Starkman on Rethink’s WARC Dominance
For fans of Canadian advertising, there was much cause for celebration this month when WARC released its rankings of the top independent agencies in the world, by office. Specifically, Rethink made history, with its Toronto location not only taking the number one spot, but the Montreal and Vancouver offices also securing positions within the top six.
In a time when the country’s advertising reputation continues to be on the up and up globally, this is a strong reminder of just how world class the work truly is. Considering WARC tabulates its scores off purely Cannes, D&AD, The One Show, the Clios, and the LIAs, this recognition is not only a testament to the exceptional year Rethink has had, but demonstrates Canada’s ability to perform on the biggest stage, bringing its biggest brands to the fore and above all else, making work that’s rewarding for everyone involved.
To celebrate these wins, explore what it took to get there, and celebrate the work that drove this, LBB’s Josh Neufeldt sat down with Rethink’s global CCO, Aaron Starkman, for a chat.
LBB> Congratulations again on becoming the top ranking independent agency in the world via the WARC rankings! This is unprecedented for a Canadian-based agency - do you talk about it internally?
Aaron> Thanks. It’s a big source of pride to find ourselves at the top of this list. We’re proud of our roots in Canada, but we talk a lot about our global ambitions. Rethink’s vision is to change the industry for the better by setting the standard for all creative organisations. When we look at the WARC list, we love the company we're with. We especially love to see all of the other independents that are doing so well on the global stage.
LBB> Is creating award-winning work part of an overall strategy? If so, can you elaborate?
Aaron> Our promise to all Rethinkers and our clients is that you'll do the best work of your career here.
One way we measure that is through awards, which are a tangible indicator of best-in-class work. If our people are doing the most award-winning work of their careers, chances are it’s also the best work of their careers. When a jury of your peers from around the world single out your work out from thousands of ads, it shows they’ve truly connected with a piece of advertising. It needs to stand out versus all the noise.
We also talk a lot about doing work that's rewarding. That means believing in the people you work with, the brands you are investing time and effort in, and the solid relationships we have inside the agency and with our clients. Awards are just one way we measure. Another way is making work that people talk about, another is when our clients are getting promoted, late night TV coverage is another, people excitedly talking around the office about how work is going viral is another… we love to see people get excited about the work, no matter how it happens.
Above all, we want to do work that delivers results. If you look at the performance of award winning ideas, they’re a pretty good indicator that you’re doing work that stands out in a way that’s beneficial to your client’s business.
LBB> With that in mind, tell us a little bit more about your perception of WARC as an agency leader. What does it represent to you?
Aaron> WARC (formerly the GUNN report) is the most respected representation of creative excellence. WARC keeps it relatively simple by tabulating Cannes, D&AD, The One Show, the Clios, and the LIAs. Most creatives will be in agreement with that list representing some of the most challenging and respected international creative award shows.
LBB> It’s incredible to see that Rethink’s Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal offices are in the top six agencies. As a leader, how do you ensure such strong output from across all these locations?
Aaron> As an agency, we’re really good at setting goals and making them happen. We talk about it all of the time. And the hardest standard that we deal with day in and day out is our own. We’ve spent the past several years ensuring Rethinkers get clearer and clearer on what that standard is.
What I love about these goals and what I believe makes Rethink different is that literally everyone in the agency is part of the team that attacks the goals, right down to accounting. Everyone is passionate about what we’re creatively striving for, and knows their specific role in making it happen.
Rethink has incredible people everywhere, but among them are a group of partners who act as standard bearers across the agency and all of its departments. They work with department leads and management teams to ensure we set the standard for ourselves and help every office work towards it. We're proud that we all focus on that equally.
A big part of upholding our standards are our clients - we work with people and brands who hold creativity as the number one driver of desired business outcomes. Really, this is a team sport and we’ve been at our best the last few years because everyone is crystal clear on what winning looks like.
LBB> What work from Toronto that helped with the WARC result are you the most proud of?
Aaron> I’m particularly fond of ‘Heinz Ketchup Fraud’, which was done by our Toronto and New York teams, ‘The Unburnable Book’, and the ‘Tangerine Hoops’ commercial.
LBB> You mentioned specificity in achieving goals. Can you give an example of this?
Aaron> There are so many examples. I’ll mention one specific to Vancouver. ECDs Leia Rogers, Morgan Tierney, Hans Thiessen, and Don Shelford have regularly scheduled meetings with teams on proactive work for our Vancouver clients. You can see the fruits of this approach with Rethink Vancouver’s placement in the top six.
LBB> What’s your favorite piece from Vancouver over the past year?
Aaron> It’s hard to pick a favorite of the Vancouver work, but I do really love the National Magazine Awards branding work.
LBB> And in Montreal?
Aaron> One of my favorite pieces from anywhere in the world came from the Montreal office, Decathlon’s ‘Ability Signs’. Xavier Blais, our ECD in Montreal, led it for a Montreal-based client, and it has done amazing things for the brand. There are some more exciting things ahead for Rethink Montreal and Decathlon.
LBB> Finally, and speaking of exciting things ahead, what work do you think has the potential to propel Rethink to have another exceptional year with WARC?
Aaron> In no particular order: Uber Eats’ ‘Horror Codes’, Coors’ ‘Lights Out’, Heinz’s ‘Seemingly Ranch’, RGD Branding Awards, and Molson’s ‘See My Name’.
