Toronto, ON — Independent creative and strategy agency The Garden, part of the Humanise Collective, has been named Small Agency of the Year at the inaugural Campaign Canada Agency of the Year Awards, held last night in Toronto. The new awards program celebrates the country’s top creative, media, and marketing agencies as part of Campaign’s global effort to recognize excellence across the industry.
Founded in 2015 by strategist Shari Walczak and creative Shane Ogilvie, The Garden was recognized for its strong business performance, emotionally resonant work, long-standing client relationships, and people-first culture.
“We’re not an agency that chases awards, but we do chase work that matters,” said Shari Walczak, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at The Garden. “This recognition is a testament to the passion and talent of our team and the trust of our clients.”
Over the past 18 months, The Garden has led breakthrough campaigns across a wide array of categories. Highlights include:
- Kobo: Building on the “Be a reader, not a follower” campaign for Kobo Plus, with a follow-up “Main Character Energy”. As well as launching Kobo’s first-ever colour eReaders in a global campaign, “Bring Books to Life”.
- Carlsberg Canada: Launching Canada’s first rosé beer, 1664 Rosé.
- Jack Astor’s: Giving chefs permission to swear by their food (literally).
- Enbridge Sustain: Rebranding HVAC with a fresh, playful twist.
- Mackenzie Investments: Launching “See Things Others Miss,” a new visual brand platform for investment professionals.
- Kao Canada: Welcoming T Swift to Toronto with a big OOH takeover for John Freida
- Plus new design and campaign work for Subtext Living, Seeker Labs, and RGD DesignThinkers
Despite its independent status, The Garden continues to compete and win at scale, now with added support through a strategic partnership with the Humanise Collective.“From day one, our goal was to build a place where people love the work they do, and where brands are built on emotion, not just exposure,” said Shane Ogilvie, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer. “This award is a beautiful reminder that staying true to that vision can still lead to big things.”
The Garden’s work has been featured in The New York Times, BBC, Fast Company, The Washington Post, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and NPR, and has earned two Fast Company “World Changing Ideas” accolades. One campaign was even added to the U.S. Library of Congress for its cultural significance.
