People
Peter Holmes, President & Creative Director
Peter’s strategic consumer and business insights have helped drive some of the most successful advertising campaigns in Canadian history. He appeared on Marketing Magazine’s Power List of the 100 most influential people in Canadian communications and has received some 500 national and international awards for creative excellence from among others, Communication Arts, The One Show, The Clios, Cannes, The Art Directors Club of New York, The Obies and The Advertising and Design Club of Canada. He has also judged a number of advertising awards shows including The One Show, The Clios, The Andy’s and The Marketing Awards, which he also chaired.
Peter began his career as a graphic designer, opening his own design studio in the ’80′s. In 1990 he became a founding partner in Franklin Dallas, an advertising agency and forerunner to Holmes and Lee and then Reason Partners. He has worked with clients across a wide range of categories, including tourism, packaged goods, automotive, communications, electronics, government, beverages, financial services, fashion, pharmaceuticals, electronics, retail and several charities.
Peter got involved in digital marketing in the early days when Holmes and Lee opened the digital shop, Competitive Reality, in 1997. Since then, he has remained very much involved in digital and online marketing
Peter’s work was Curator selected for the inaugural and permanent advertising collection of the Royal Ontario Museum and the Canadian Graphic Design History Project. He also writes and produces music professionally in the rock, jazz and R&B genres as well as music for advertising campaigns, including the Canadian launch of the Saturn ION and Credit Canada. His jazz album, The Jericho Notes, was ranked 6th best release (2004) in the U.S. publication Jazz Week Magazine. 2Scoops, an R&B/pop song he wrote, was picked up by Universal Music and is playing on top 40 radio across the country. It also won a Hollywood Music in Media award.
Brand experience: Sears, Canada Trust, Second Cup, The Weather Network, Land Rover, Credit Canada, Millenium Beverages, Ault Dairies, Sargento Cheese, Lactancia, Black Diamond, Cheese Strings, Parkay Margarine, MCI, PEI Tourism, Antiqua Tourism, Atlantic Tourism, Akzo Nobel, ICI Paints, Dulux, Glidden, Krinos Foods, Ontario Government (Ministry of the Environment), The Conservative Party of Canada, The Body Shop, Old Milwaukee, Sleeman Breweries, Upper Canada Beer, Masterfile, Citibank, JVC, Alpine Consumer Electronics, Luxman, LG, Zenith, Standard Interactive, Standard Broadcasting, MacLean Hunter Publications, Stanfields Underwear, Ogilvy Renault LLP, Valvoline Motor Oil, Tilden Car Rentals, Indian Motorcycle, ReMax, Staples, Neutrogena, Planters Peanuts, Fisons Consumer Health, Clearblue Easy, Delsym Cough Remedy, Cotton Ginny, Club Monaco, African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF), The Canadian Cancer Society, The Daily Bread Foodbank.
Richard Freedhoff, Executive Vice-President, Account Management & Business Development
Richard has a passion for taking brands to the next level and a proven track record of success. His career has spanned 23 years and his background includes extensive, senior-level executive sales, marketing and operational experience in the video game, home video, electronics and digital technology industries.
As Director of Sales, Richard had the opportunity to launch Sega’s Canadian line up, growing the business to $140mm in the first year. Then, as Canadian Sales Manager for Sony, he helped launch Playstation, achieving over $150mm in sales in less than 2 years. He was COO, as well as VP Sales and Marketing at Hip Interactive and helped build Hip into the largest video game company in Canada, with over $400mm in revenue. As a consultant he has worked with Gentec International, Inoveris, Allegro Wireless, ES3 and Red Wolf Online. This experience has given Richard a unique insight into the digital interactive space.
Richard has had an enthusiasm for business that started with him teaching tennis as a student and investing his tennis earnings into second and third mortgages. Once Richard graduated university, at 22 years of age, he started his own mortgage brokerage firm, Creative Equity Funding, employing 8 people. This experience gave Richard the entrepreneurial lessons that helped him forge his career. He lives by the motto that “you have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.” – Albert Einstein
When he’s not working you can still find Richard on the tennis court or spending time with his kids in Columbus, OH.
Richard holds a Bachelors of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Western Ontario, a mortgage broker’s license from the OMBA, a Diploma in Entrepreneurship from the Ohio Foundation of Entrepreneurial Education and a Private Pilot’s License.
Marc Whitehead, EVP Managing Director
Early adopter. Ardent golfer. Water logic protagonist. Marc’s energetic attitude, entrepreneurial drive, and insatiable curiosity has fueled a career at the crossroads of marketer aspirations and consumer expectations.
Marc has helped marketers explore the full potential of their success for over 25 years. His view of the world has been informed from an eclectic mix of work environments; big ad agencies like BBDO, small communication agencies he started himself like The Hotbed, and specialty branded content creators like Fresh Baked Entertainment. He’s collaborated on communication efforts of all scales, from global product launches for brands like Miele appliances, to national advertising campaigns for brands like Fairmont Hotels, to local message initiatives for brands like Pilot Insurance, all with equal aplomb.
His experience is firmly rooted in the disciplines of strategy and planning, which has served as the catalyst for finding new, more effective, and truly authentic ways for people to bond with their favourite brands. For example, he introduced groundbreaking research techniques for several Wrigley product innovation projects (Brand Keys loyalty study, Synectics depravation study).
Marc has led a number of high profile successful brand launches including VH Steamers frozen meals, Saphara premium coffee and tea, Apple’s Power PC and Powerbook computers, Wrigley’s sugar-free versions of Juicy Fruit, Spearmint and Doublemint gums, Smartfood Popcorn, and Oral B’s Advantage toothbrush.
He was also the strategic lead on a handful of successful not-for-profit capital fundraising campaigns including Bloorview Kids Rehab ($45M), St. John’s Rehab Hospital ($15M), The Stop Community Food Centre ($3M), and the campaign for Toronto’s new Ronald McDonald House ($30M).
His penchant for early adoption fueled his embrace of digital technology, dating back to when the Internet was in its infancy. For example, in 1990 he became the first employee at McKim Advertising to test the idea of using a laptop personal computer in a day-to-day work setting. Whether its driving to Buffalo to acquire an iPhone months before they were available for use in Canada (he did the same for his iPad), or guest lecturing 4th year e-Commerce students at York University, Marc is always looking for opportunities to flex his “technology curiosity” muscles.
Marc also hosts a weekly podcast – Web of Intrigue, where he interviews personalities at the forefront of writing, directing, performing, producing, distributing, and measuring online video entertainment that is blurring the difference between what you watch on your TV and your computer. He has never been shy to dip his toes into the unknown of new media, new content, and new technology. He sees it all as a singular metaphor for “new opportunities”.
When he takes a break from work, he exercises his passion for helping not for profit organizations like the Sharon Temple National Historical Museum Society, or playing a competitive round of amateur golf on the Great Lakes Tour.
Brand experience: VH SAUCES, HAIN CELESTIAL, CELESTIAL SEASONINGS TEAS, SAPHARA COFFEE & TEA, YVES VEGGIE BURGERS & CUISINE, EARTH’S BEST BABY FOOD, TERRA CHIPS, SOY DREAM BEVERAGE, APPLE, DUNDEE WEALTH MANAGEMENT, BAGELOS, COUNTRY STYLE DONUTS, 407ETR, MANULIFE FINANCIAL, REMAX, PILOT INSURANCE, MIELE, LIBERAL PARTY OF CANADA, ALZHEIMER’S SOCIETY OF CANADA, MAPLE LEAF MEATS, CANADA BREAD, DEMPSTERS, OLIVIERI PASTA, HOT & CRUSTY BREAD, SOBEYS, RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE, ST, JOHNS REHAB, TORONTO REHAB FOUNDATION, BLOORVIEW KIDS REHAB, MT. SINAI HOSPITAL, NOVOTEL HOTELS, SUNRISE RECORDS, JEAN MACHINE, TOURISM CANADA, WRIGLEY (JUICY FRUIT, SPEARMINT, DOUBLEMINT, VELAMINTS), SUNLIFE FINANCIAL, FAIRMONT HOTELS, HOSTESS FRITI- LAY, CANADIAN PACIFIC HOTELS & RESORTS, DOUBLETREE HOTELS, CN RAIL, CNE, AMSTEL BREWERY, ROYAL DOULTON, ONTARIO MINISTRY OF TOURISM, COMPUTERLAND
Ira Patil, Vice President, Media Director
Ira Patil is an award winning Senior Media Executive with extensive global experience working with multinational advertising agencies in Canada, Asia and the Middle East. Ira has developed an expert knowledge of marketing communications and strategic media planning working on a variety of diverse account categories including automotive, telecommunications, retail, alcohol beverage, government and packaged goods.
Most recently, Ira was Vice President, Media Director Due North Communications, where she provided strategic media counsel for many clients including Goodyear, H&R Block, 3M, LCBO Social Responsibility, Dairy Farmers of Canada, as well as numerous Ontario Government Ministries. During her tenure at Due North Communications, Ira won two Gold Media Cassies Awards and a Gold Cannes Media Lion. Prior to Due North, Ira was Media Director at GJP Advertising.
Earlier in her career, Ira worked for DDB Needham Worldwide in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia as Media Manager. Ira successfully proposed and executed media plans in the Middle East for brands such as Clorox, Henkel, American Airlines, Riyadh Bank and Petromin Oil Products.
Ira’s diverse experience also includes being on the forefront of launching brands in an emerging Asian market. When at McCann Erickson in Mumbai, she successfully executed the first-time launch in India of GM and L’Oreal’s “Excellence” hair dye. During her tenure at McCann, Ira also worked on Coca Cola, Cathy Pacific, IBM and Reckett & Coleman.
In her spare time…what spare time! Ira is studying to become a Sommelier. Ira’s hobbies include wine tasting and painting. When the two hobbies converge it makes for some pretty funky artwork that she proudly hangs on her walls.
Brand Experience: Goodyear, H&R Block, 3M, LCBO, DAiry Farmers, Ontario Government, Clorox, Henkel, American Airlines, Riyadh Bank, Petromin Oil, GM, L’Oreal, Coca Cola, Cathy Pacific, IBM, Recket & Coleman.
Mike Mulik, Director of Art & Technology
Mike had a well-rounded start in the digital and entertainment world. He first studied film at York University and then digital media at the International Academy of Design.
When he graduated, Blast Media was the first to hire him as an interface designer. Mike then moved on to OperEx as an interactive designer. Then on to Sutton Javelin as head of design of their interactive department. Mike then decided to try something different as a flash designer at Dashboard, before joining former colleagues at Prescient Media (a division of Holmes and Lee), as senior interactive designer. Then, again to try something new, Mike joined Holmes and Lee as an art director in both digital and traditional media. There he rose to become senior art director and somewhat of a digital teacher and preacher.
Along the way, he garnered more than a few awards for his work, including the Marketing Awards, Digital Marketing Awards, New Media Innovation Awards, Communication Arts and The Advertising and Design Club of Canada.
When he’s not working on the cutting edge side of digital media. Mike enjoys the much more safe and leisurely activity of motorcycling all over the world.
