November 14, 2023
50 years moving forward, together
When Banfield was first founded by the late Max McFadden and Bruce Hiney, the marketing and advertising industry looked a lot different than it does today. Copy was crafted on typewriters. Designs were drawn with pencil and paper. Work was literally delivered to clients, on foot and by hand.
In the years since 1973, big changes have come to Banfield — the least of which being the industry itself. We’ve seen our agency grow from its humble two-person beginnings to a thriving 38-person staff. Our clients have shifted from brands that get people moving, Dilawri Motor Sales being among the first, to work that moves people, like our recent campaign on palliative care. And our capabilities have scaled into a full-service marketing and advertising ecosystem, including research, media and strategy, creative design, writing and production, motion and video, and digital marketing.
But among all these transformations, one recent change has sparked a year of celebration at Banfield: our age. This year, Banfield officially turned 50 years old. It’s a notable milestone for any mid-sized business, let alone one in our industry. And it’s made even greater knowing it was achieved outside of Canada’s major advertising centres — a challenge that has made us scrappier, more adaptable and more determined to succeed.
“Being in a smaller market requires us to hustle more and be more resourceful,” says President and Creative Director Timothy Jones. “It really keeps us hungry—not only in trying to compete outside our market, but also against the big agencies that come to Ottawa to compete against us.”
As a part of our anniversary celebration, we’ve released a short video, Forward Together, that looks back on where we came from and, more importantly, where we plan to go in the 50 years to come.
