If you use the Internet, Facebook, and Twitter at the same rate as I do, sometimes it seems like a full time job. Funnily enough, this speaks true for this week’s Fresh Face, Aimée Croteau.

What do all of the following companies have in common?

Two words: Idea Rebel.

Idea Rebel, founded in 2008 by Jamie Garratt, is a boutique digital advertising agency based in Vancouver. Over the past few years, Idea Rebel has redefined the traditional interactive marketing agency model by exploding onto the scene with their world-class creative and strategic solutions for their clients.

Who says big corporations trump all? Idea Rebel has a small team of twelve, but by focusing on mobile and social aspects of businesses, these twelve rebels can now compete with some of the largest agencies in the world.

Seth Brown, Nick Harborne, and Aimée Croteau of Idea Rebel

When asked about the importance of social media in the future, Creative Director of Idea Rebel, Aimée Croteau replies, “Connecting socially is the future of communication and marketing. Brands are already starting to use Facebook before the web to connect with their consumer. People are using Facebook and Twitter to communicate as a primary over e-mail and telephone… I think we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg of what’s to come. Watch out.”

Growing Up

From a very young age, Croteau knew that she wanted to grow up to be involved in the arts. From visual arts to dance, she loved anything to do with creativity. She attended McGill University for General Arts. She notes that Montreal was “a great city to be inspired by art, fashion, [and] culture.” After McGill, she explored and went diving around the globe in places including Israel, Spain and Portugal. After a two-year hiatus, she returned to the Vancouver Film School to pursue an intensive Multimedia program. She recalls the familiarity of 4:00 a.m. to meet deadlines but highly praises the demanding program as a “really rewarding opportunity”.

Immediately after graduation, she was offered a position at Blast Radius. At the brink of the popularity of the Internet, Croteau had the opportunity to take part in a growing international agency. At Blast Radius, she collaborated with household names such as Roxy, Quiksilver, Nintendo, Capitol Records, Nike, and Michael Jordan.  There, she met countless talented designers and developers from France to Brazil. She adds, “My advice to aspiring designers is to work with other talented designers, collaborate and share! The best way to get experience and to grow as a designer is from each other. I was fortunate at Blast to have that experience.”

The Birth of Idea Rebel

Croteau met Jamie Garratt, now the President of Idea Rebel, while they were working at Blast Radius. They established a great relationship from the start. When they left Blast Radius, Jamie approached Croteau to be involved in the launch of Idea Rebel. The two knew that they were complementary as a team. Garratt’s strengths lied in technical and business development, while Croteau’s strengths stemmed from her creativity. At the eve of the social media revolution, Idea Rebel was born and has been growing ever since. Garratt and Croteau’s digital knowledge and experience has allowed Idea Rebel to be recognized as a leader in Social and Mobile solutions. In addition, their small, but dynamic team of rebels has allowed them to adapt quickly to ever-changing demands.

Definition of a Rebel

Idea Rebel’s office is located in Gastown, B.C. The culture at Idea Rebel can be described as fun, unique, and socially responsible. Croteau describes it as “a pretty relaxed culture with a strong focus on productivity”. They believe in flexibility as a company, with the understanding that different people are productive at different times of the day. Croteau also explains that their office has a green focus – “We rely on as much natural light as possible and we don’t use any paper. All employees either walk, ride a bike, or take the transit to work.” She highlights how amazing her team is and how great it is to work with like-minded, talented individuals. The dynamism and passion of the team has clearly translated into top quality, innovative solutions for their clients.

Knowing that Croteau was born and raised in B.C., perhaps it was foolish of me to ask if she was a Vancouver Canucks fan. Not only did she say yes, she also made my day by sharing this photo and video of her co-worker, Nick Harborne. Check out their project for the Canucks here!

The back of your head is ridiculous

Idea Rebel’s Clients

It is fair to say that Aritzia is synonymous with the epitome of being a Western Girl as EA Sports is synonymous to the definition of a Western Boy.

Idea Rebel has become a premier agency for Social Media and Mobile.

Western Girls, you have Idea Rebel to thank for the development of Mobile, Social, and Web Experiences including Aritzia.com Mobile, the Aritzia Facebook page, the streaming of their fashion show, and the development of Soho.Aritzia.com.

Western Boys, you have Idea Rebel to thank for the development of EA Sports’ Need for Speed website, the EA Sports Facebook page, and other marketing sites. They say a picture is worth a thousand words… But this picture shows that Idea Rebel has helped EA Sports reach a fan base of over 10 million, a number never before experienced by other agencies.

Balancing Work and Play

Croteau is a strong advocate of a balanced lifestyle. She says, “Work hard but play hard too! Take care of yourself. A healthy body is a healthy mind.”

“Deadlines are always fast approaching so being organized is key and staying fit with running and yoga also helps to keep me energized.”

She expresses the joys of her job and the satisfaction of “coming up with a great idea and seeing it come to life”. Always one to commit 110%, she usually rewards herself by taking 1-2 months off to refresh and travel.

Her passion for sailing has led her to be involved with non-profit organizations focusing on ocean conservation in her free time. She currently is involved with oceanswatch.org, a NPO based in New Zealand, and infinityexpeditions.org, a NPO that engages in sailing expeditions around the globe documenting environmental changes that impact the small atolls and the island of the South Pacific. In September, she plans to do a crossing from Spain to Brazil.

Croteau lived abroad with 15 people sailing from Tahiti to New Zealand

Always active and on-the-go, I asked Croteau where she drew her greatest inspiration.

“We are so influenced today by society that I think it is really important to step back, take a breath, and say to yourself what makes me happy, what makes me excited, what brings me true joy? What makes me passionate? And listen to that.”

She stresses, “Don’t be afraid to be different, make your own path and make your own rules. Be bold, brave and follow your dreams.”

Croteau leaves me with her favourite quote – a true reflection of why she is this week’s Premierlife.ca’s Fresh Face…

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” - Howard Thurman