For Immediate Release

Central Station – a new agency with a better way to get there

Toronto, September 30, 2015 – Independent marketing agencies Zebra Studios and MonkWilliams announced today they have joined forces to capitalize on their unique mix of conceptual and physical brand communication skills.

Called Central Station, the new independent agency will be led by five partners, Paul Perkins, Joe Angellotti and John Boniface from Zebra Studios and Brad Monk and David Williams of MonkWilliams. Boniface, who previously worked with Monk and Williams while at FCB, will be the president of Central Station.

"Why people choose one brand over another has changed – a lot," said Boniface. "Brands have to be interesting from the get go – name, identity, character, retail experience. We’re building an agency designed to excel at the things that are central to making brands irresistible; at inception and over the long term."

Why people choose one brand over another has changed – a lot. Brands have to be interesting from the get go – name, identity, character, retail experience. We’re building an agency designed to excel at the things that are central to making brands irresistible; at inception and over the long term.

The new Toronto-based agency will open with 30 people and will serve existing clients including Nike, MolsonCoors, Nestle, Hudson’s Bay Company, Weetabix, Lindt and Humber Regional Hospital.

"Central Station is a hub, it’s essential, it’s where you to start" said Brad Monk, Creative Director, in reference to the name. "The lines in our logo that emanate from our name we refer to as tracks. They represent the infinite number of paths a brand can take to lasting success."

Central Station is a hub, it’s essential, it’s where you to start. The lines in our logo that emanate from our name we refer to as tracks. They represent the infinite number of paths a brand can take to lasting success.

Central to their working culture is to "Arrive Together" with clients – no surprises, no big reveals.

"Great creative is collaborative – a journey best traveled together with clients," said Monk. "We share creative early and build on the team’s expertise and intuition before going way down one track or another."

Great creative is collaborative – a journey best traveled together with clients. We share creative early and build on the team’s expertise and intuition before going way down one track or another.

The approach to strategy and creative helped MonkWilliams make Mad Jack, MolsonCoors’ biggest and most successful new-to-world national brand launch in the last two years. It is also a philosophy that aligns to Zebra’s expertise with design and the creation of engaging physical and digital brand experiences. These were on display recently at Nike Running – Toronto Eaton Centre, and at a host of Canadian retailers in support of Nike’s Women’s 15K Toronto.

"It’s harder than ever for large companies to build irresistible brands that make competitors jealous," added Boniface. "We know what’s central to doing that; we’ve done it before and we have the right resources to make it happen."

It’s harder than ever for large companies to build irresistible brands that make competitors jealous. We know what’s central to doing that; we’ve done it before and we have the right resources to make it happen.

About Central Station

Central Station is a mid-sized marketing agency that excels at the things that make brands irresistible. Located in a new office at 14 Birch Avenue, Toronto, the firm combines high concept brand strategy and creative with exceptional design, fabrication, retail and digital expertise.