An Agency in Constant Rebirth: Via Names Scott MacLeod President

Independent agency Via has promoted from within to launch its next phase of growth. The Portland, Maine agency has elevated longtime head of planning Scott MacLeod to president. In addition, the agency has expanded its four key specialty practices to help it handle more non-AOR business and retain its long-term clients. MacLeod becomes the first president at the agency since now-CEO Leeann Leahy held the role when she first came to Via in 2012. “Scott embodies a lot of what it means to be a Vian,” said Leahy in a statement. “He is endlessly curious, and his strategic prowess has been instrumental in our success since he joined the agency in 2011. His passion for understanding the power of creativity and problem-solving has already impacted our current clients and sets us up for great things in the future.” In his new role, MacLeod will be responsible for expanding Via’s four key specialty practices: media and effectiveness; social; emerging technology; and brand consulting. Via has already been integrating these practices within the agency, but is now bolstering each one through monetization and creating new products. From a new business perspective, this gives Via an opportunity to engage a wider array of clients through specific practices, rather than only through creative AOR relationships. As a new member of the executive team, MacLeod will help set and execute the agency’s vision and will be responsible for talent and training; working with Via’s head of technology to further integrate generative AI into Via's workflow; and teaming with Via's heads of strategy, business management and production to strengthen client partnerships, including those with Church & Dwight, Unilever, Golden Corral, Big Y and DCU. How Zipcar’s Gen AI Campaign Drove Brand Awareness and Site Visits Refining the four practices Via was “born in 1993 and reborn every year since,” said MacLeod, meaning that the agency is constantly revising its practices and strategies to align with the needs of the clients. MacLeod said that, as companies shift from AOR designations to project-based work, Via was looking for ways to give potential clients more doorways to work with the agency, which is what led to the development of the four practice areas. Via saw a lot of creative potential in media, which it couldn’t tap into when it worked with outside vendors, so Via brought that in-house. That allowed the agency to go from fixed-play plans to fluid ones, bringing media and creative together immediately. The social practice ties social strategy to business strategy, combined with agile content creation. It utilizes the in-house production arm to create content at scale. Since brands are the most valuable untapped asset in most companies, Via is moving it to be an organizational engine, not just a marketing construct. It will use this practice for brand platform development, executive branding and organizational immersions, among other needs. Emerging technologies are top of mind lately, and Via saw a readiness gap, which MacLeod said is the area between the excitement an organization has around technology and its ability to put it into play. “Our emerging tech practice is all about closing that gap and giving organizations a more prioritized way to tap into technology, prototyping different ways that that could come to light for them, and just taking what's emerging and making it real,” said MacLeod. Via hopes the revised practices give the agency a way to solve different problems for clients and be more nimble in landing business and generating revenue. The efforts have landed a few signed agreements already, with more coming over the next quarter, according to MacLeod. “When you try to be a full-service creative AOR, you can sometimes dull the edges on the tools that you need to stay ahead of what's current. So, by having these practices, by having dedicated people that are experts in these fields as they change, we think we can give companies more of an advantage than they would otherwise have,” said MacLeod. How Agency VIA Is Restructuring the Office to Allow More Personal Space A four-day workweek While Via has some remote employees, most work happens in the gorgeously remodeled 1888 Baxter Library building in downtown Portland, Maine. The agency wants people in the office three days a week, with one flex day outside the office, which means Via has a four-day workweek. After a pilot program last year, the agency decided to implement the four-day week, centering the agency’s work and employees. MacLeod said the three days in office are focused and intentional, not bogged down by meetings. The time away, he said, is great to get employees reenergized, which often helps unlock creativity. Even the agency's clients are onboard. “The crazy part is that our clients actually are even more satisfied with it than our associates, which we never thought would happen,” said MacLeod. While some of Via's practice areas might tap into current trends, MacLeod hopes the agency continues to help clients sustain growth with enduring campaigns. He noted ongoing efforts for Klondike, Golden Corral and Arm & Hammer’s “More Power to You” as examples.