In the 2001 book Good to Great, author Jim Collins describes the “flywheel effect” – a wheel that takes tremendous effort to push at first but, as more people contribute, gains momentum and starts turning on its own. At that point, it becomes almost unstoppable.

“It feels like we’re down that path,” says Brent Choi, partner and CEO of Angry Butterfly, reflecting on the Toronto-based agency’s four-year journey. “We are definitely at an inflection point.”

In 2024, that turning point saw Angry Butterfly cement its position as one of Canada’s most innovative agencies. From campaigns that playfully skirted federal regulations to ideas that spark long-lasting conversations, the agency has set out to create work that ripples through industries and audiences. “Our name is not a coincidence, he says. “We like to create ‘The Butterfly Effect.’”

The agency’s work this year, notably its awardwinning “Next to Stok’d” campaign for Stok’d Cannabis, embodies this ethos.