• by Larissa Faw , April 3, 2014

Veritas Communications, part of MDC Partners, is merging its PR expertise and advertising with the launch of the Growth & Innovation Lab. The new unit -- headquartered in Toronto -- serves as the hub for all of Veritas' insights, strategy, creative innovation, digital, influencer and social measurement, events and publicity. 

Essentially, the lab is an agency within the agency, which will provide “next-level” resources and creative approaches, says Krista Webster, president, Veritas.

"The team’s mandate is threefold: drive strategic thinking and creativity among our existing client base; attract new client partners seeking powerful insights, analytics and great talent, and develop new proprietary tools and services that will elevate the work we do across the agency," she notes.

The Growth & Innovation Lab has been built around a team of eight strategists and creatives which will serve as the "cerebral cortex of the agency," says Webster. 

Nicola Moore, former executive director at GolinHarris, has been named chief strategist to lead this group. In addition, the lab will include: a creative director, digital strategist, Insights and Analytics team, publicist, New Business and Events team. All positions will be in-house, and operate out of Veritas’ Toronto headquarters.

The agency also has satellite offices in Montreal and New York City.