Known for its senior-heavy business model, 123w not only hires for great talent but for strong character, says co-found Scot Keith.

“My partners and I have seen and worked in so many agencies that make the mistake of throwing their money at over-the-top office space, lavish client entertainment or fat returns to the shareholders when they should really be investing in better processes or working conditions or staff. We just put the money into talent.”

Out of a staff of 48, 15 are hands-on senior creative directors. Its model goes back to when Keith and his partners – creative director Rob Sweetman, writer Brian Collins and designer Jeff Harrison – asked themselves what would make them happy and what would make them miserable. In the latter column, they put departments, hierarchy, disciplinary silos, and high overhead. In the former column they put doing what they do best: actually creating work, not just managing it, and hiring people for the same reason.

Moreen “Mo” Bofill, who in late 2020 left John St. to join 123w’s leadership team and lead its expansion to Toronto, is one of those people says Keith. “She is an expert on the business of design and how it integrates with advertising and digital,” he says. Mo’s strengths will come in handy as 123w becomes increasingly focused on two areas: brand transformation and brand acceleration.

“The pandemic has made not only [a client’s] marketing team, but the CEO, executives and board members, prioritize their brand communications. So we see 123w as being in the brand transformation business. It’s where strategy, design, advertising and digital intersect, and its targeted at brands that are top three in their industry but are threatened by new market entries.”