Why Matt Hassell Launched His Very Own Creative Agency
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When Matt Hassell announced he was leaving Forsman & Bodenfors Canada, the question on everyone’s minds was ‘where will he end up next?’. But for the industry veteran and former board of directors member at the Institute of Communication Agencies (ICA), there was only ever one answer. Ultralight Creative. This answer may come as a surprise to some, and many might never have even heard of Ultralight Creative. The reason why? The opening of Ultralight marks Matt’s attempts to launch his very own creative agency.
Now five months into business, things seem to be coming together. The name is getting out there, the pitches are going out, and all around, things seem to be stable. Drawing on his passion for building agencies into creatively-led companies that use the full arsenal of modern tools and ideas to achieve their clients’ business aims, Matt is hoping to build upon his previous success, which includes global awards by the Cannes Lions, Epica Awards, Webby’s, One Show, Effies, Clios, Communication Arts and several other international and Canadian award shows.
LBB’s Josh Neufeldt sat down with Matt to discuss why he took on this endeavour, as well as his aims and ambitions for the future of Ultralight Creative.
LBB> How did you get started in advertising? Tell us about your story!
Matt> I started in advertising as a ‘digital’ copywriter, at what was then called FCBi, having studied copywriting at the only school I knew you could, Humber College. As a creative in an industry that is forever focused on the new and unique, you’re never not learning. So, in some ways, I think I’m still starting, decades later.
LBB> How did you feel about advertising while growing up? Was this industry something you always felt destined for?
Matt> ‘Destined’ as a word to describe my journey seems a bit too epic, but I did always love ads as a child. I really liked those old Dunkin Donut ‘time to make the donut’ spots. The other ads I loved were the Publishers Clearing House mailers that came in the mail. I loved considering what was possible, and which house and car I would choose when I won. I think even to this day, it holds up as some of the best UX out there. The tactile ritual of choosing your dreams and sticking them to the mailer, matched with an emotional sense of hope and imagination is hard to beat.
LBB> Matt, you’ve been working in the industry for over 20 years. What has your experience been like, how has the industry developed and changed, and what’s made you stick around for such a long time?
Matt> The single greatest change, to me, is that we know more about our audiences than ever, which means we can develop communications with them in mind. We can make more interesting work when we are trying to speak to an actual person, rather than a target sketch. We can also be much more sensitive to our own confirmation biases getting in the way.
I’ve stayed and will stay as long as the industry will have me for one simple reason: the people. The people in our industry are amongst the most intelligent, interesting and creative I have ever come across - on both the agency and client sides of the business.
LBB> Although it’s a few months in, congratulations again on the launch of Ultralight Creative! Can you tell us more about what this means to you? What made starting your own business the right decision for you?
Matt> Thanks!
I think every creative in advertising should start their own business. It will give you a depth of understanding and appreciation for people starting brands, and that will inform your work in a way which is hard to describe otherwise.
I am a results-oriented creative. I’ve always appreciated how a smart campaign is set up as a test to ultimately be optimised to engender a consumer response. In some ways, great brands are like software. They can be upgraded to better suit the users. Having an agency is like that for me too. I want to continually upgrade the thinking and offerings we can provide our clients.
LBB> What are your main aims and ambitions for Ultralight Creative?
Matt> I want to reshape what a creative company can provide its clients by focusing on what the actual consumer needs. Sounds simple, but it isn’t. Put another way, I like the idea of reshaping the client-agency relationship from a service model to more of an incubator for brand ideas. It’s my hope that when it’s all said and done, Ultralight becomes known for unique solutions to common brand problems.
LBB> Before launching Ultralight, you worked for Forsman & Bodenfors Canada, Ogilvy and TBWA. What lessons did you learn while working for bigger agencies like that, and how have you applied them to the work you do today?
Matt> The lessons I learned from the talent at those agencies are too numerous to list. But, I do think a lot about how the larger, corporate agencies are run structurally - considering both what has worked for them, and what could be made simpler and more nimble. In the end, the most successful of these agencies never lose sight of their clients and consumers. All the quotes on the wall and focus on differentiating is lost if it isn’t about our end product: great creative.
LBB> What have your first few months been like? Please tell us more about what it takes to launch an agency!
Matt> Launching an agency has been amazing and stressful and doubt-filled and perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing.
LBB> How would you define your leadership style, and what factors have played the biggest influence on this style?
Matt> I’m a ‘relationship-first’ person. So, I will put that at the forefront of any feedback or direction I provide. It is never just the work on the screen that needs to be encouraged, it is the people who created it that need the direction. This includes my relationship with my staff, my relationship with clients and my (or the brands’) relationship with consumers.
You must trust you are working with great creatives, and then you must figure out how to best engage and inspire them. Sometimes, that’s leaving them alone. Sometimes, that’s setting more check-ins or asking to see earlier thinking. If your creative process feels like a dialogue and not a series of mini-judgement sessions, then I believe you, the team, and the work will thrive. In short, good creative direction is also good talent management.
LBB> What are your thoughts on the Canadian ad industry in general at the moment? What are the main factors affecting conversations with clients?
Matt> Canadian agencies are creating a ton of the best work in the world, despite smaller budgets. Period.
My conversations with clients have centred on innovating their brands. Some are coming to me with questions about how they should enter the metaverse. However, if they are smart (and they are!), they need to also be asking why they should.
Social is also a big question, specifically, what should their new social media marketing mix look like? Should they be on Twitter at all? Is Facebook converting for them? Is TikTok the answer? Can they try out BeReal?
All in all, we are in the midst of user attention shifting, which makes it a very exciting time to be in the creative innovation business.
LBB> You’re known for talking about web3, content marketing and metaverse marketing. Tell us more about this! Where did the interest come from, what do they mean to you, and why are these areas so important for the future of the industry?
Matt> I discovered the metaverse by chatting with a sneaker designer on Clubhouse (remember that?) a few years ago. I had never heard the term and remember being stopped in my tracks when she started to describe how she went about the dual design process. It was fascinating to me, not only because she put both the real world and virtual one on equal footing, but also because her sense of the metaverse was all about equality and free creative expression. Her enthusiasm hooked me.
After that, it became a hobby to look into, and I started to uncover some possibilities. I also studied at the Everyrealm Academy, and that was a huge boost to my knowledge base and my network in the space. Ultimately, my creative interest lies much more in the possibilities of what a permanent ledger via the blockchain can provide than in any particular metaverse. For example, I’m currently working on what the blockchain can provide to a loyalty program.
LBB> What helps you destress after a long day at work?
Matt> Any time I need to sink further into a mood or completely change it, the answer is always music. Preferably live, but just listening on the walk home or having it provide texture to making dinner is stellar. We all deserve a great soundtrack, no matter what we’re doing, right?
