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Peter IGNAZI
CCO | COSSETTE TORONTO
Peter is one of the most successful creative directors in Canada. Under his leadership, Cossette was named Canadian "Agency of the Year" by Strategy Magazine in 2016, 2017 and 2018. He brought the same honour to BBDO in 2011. In both cases, firsts for the agencies. In 2018 and 2019 he was the number one creative director in Canada on the Strategy Magazine Creative Report Card. As well, in 2018, he was #2 on MarComm’s “Magnificence List” of global advertising creatives.
A native of Hamilton, Ontario, Peter has a B.Sc. in Chemistry from McMaster University as well as an MBA from McGill University. After failed attempts at being a research chemist and an account executive, Peter finally found that he could somehow earn a living as a copywriter. He has been gainfully employed as a copywriter and Creative Director in Toronto and New York for such agencies as TAXI, McCann, and Downtown Partners DDB.
In 2015, Peter brought his skills to Cossette where he runs a variety of blue chip accounts, including McDonald's, General Mills and SickKids. In 2018, Cossette was awarded Canada’s first and only Cannes Effectiveness Lion.
Active in the industry and his community, Peter is on the Strategic Committee of the Canadian Marketing Association as well as on the board of Heritage Toronto.
questionnaire
What was your very first job?
Research Chemist, Dow Chemical Germany
Please describe, in your own words, what your job is and what work it entails.
I'm in charge of guiding the agency to great creative heights in our clients interest
How did you discover that the creative world was right for you? Was there a time in your life that you credit to this discovery? Was there a train of events that brought you where you are today?
Lots of failure. I really couldn't do anything else.
In your constantly growing and expanding industry, how do you find inspiration to keep your work fresh, innovative and relevant?
Creativity in all its forms. A book here, a film there, a witty remark from my son all impress and inspire me.
If you had to pick one piece of work or project that you are most proud of, more for the creative work and innovation rather than its recognition or industry "success," what would it be?
When we created an entire tv channel that just had rotisserie chickens turning all day for our client Swiss Chalet. People couldn't stop watching.
Which creative disciplines do you commission most, and are most interested in seeing more of and why? Which of these disciplines are you most interested in seeing at CONNECTIONS? (ie photo, film, production, social, experiential, vr, cgi, animation etc)
I would love to see anything that I have never seen before. Especially things that make me smile, want to quit out of frustration or take me a minute to understand before I do either.
