Creative and media advertising agency Battery is expanding into Canada, with former Anomaly creative Pete Breton appointed the agency’s first Canadian president and ECD.
Reporting directly to Battery CEO Anson Sowby and CCO Philip Khosid in Los Angeles, Breton will be responsible for building the agency’s footprint in Canada, including strategy, staffing and business growth.
“We knew we needed a brilliant, well-established creative leader to head up our operations in Canada, and Pete is exactly that,” said Khosid.
While Battery would not disclose details about Canadian clients at launch, the agency has been doing regular work for RBC from its L.A. office. The agency, which also has offices in Chicago and Shanghai, will continue to work with RBC, and intends to bring on additional Canadian clients.
“All of the offices are working together,” said Breton. “I’ve been working now with the agency for a few weeks and there are people from each of the offices on most calls.”
Breton steps into the role after a nearly two-year agency hiatus, having left Anomaly in 2022 after a decade of senior leadership—during which he helped found and grow the Toronto office as partner and ECD. Prior to that, he held creative roles at Cossette and Lowe Roche. His 27-year career includes accolades from Cannes Lions, The One Show, Clios, and D&AD.
He had been working primarily on client-direct projects since leaving Anomaly. “I really enjoyed it,” he said. “It’s given me an opportunity to wear a lot of different hats and grow my skill set.”
But when Sowby and Khosid told Breton they wanted to make a play in Canada, he didn’t hesitate. “It was a bit of a no brainer,” he said. “I am legitimately excited. It’s a rare opportunity to bring an agency brand to a new market […] and to get to build it from the ground up.”
In his role, Breton will oversee the hiring of a number of new positions in Canada. The goal is to ramp up quickly, with plans for a Toronto office also in the works.
The bigger picture goal, he said, is bringing the Battery mindset to Canada. “Founded in Hollywood, [the agency] has grown up around storytelling and storytellers. So the mindset and the philosophy of Battery really is to create work that’s sought after, and that people want to watch,” he said. “It’s advertising as entertainment.
“I think that mindset, paired with our front-footed focus on media and production, is a great fit for the Toronto market.”
