The collective
emma is not an ad agency. Officially, we are a branding studio based in the Lower Laurentians. But above all, we are a group of passionate, slightly ADHD people who love creating great work together for our clients.
The collective
An authentic and reliable business model
There is no payroll at emma. We are a collective—a real one. We did not just throw that word in to sound cute. In fact, emma is me, Marc-André Lamy (MA). I am a brand strategist and graphic designer who, one day, left it all behind to start his business. That is when emma was born: a collective specializing in branding. We are four independent creatives in daily contact.
So, no receptionist, no accountant, no shady guy we are not quite sure what he does all day, and no downtown office. Creatives, that’s it.
Does that make sense?
What you can expect from us, among other things...
Straight talk
We are much better off being straight with each other. We will tell you if your idea is good and viable. We will also tell you if it is downright tacky. We expect you to do the same.
Quality
We take pride in what we produce. That is good news for you because, if it is not up to standard, we will keep working until it is. Looked at that way, it is a win-win.
Trust
On te fait déjà confiance. Si on travaille ensemble, on s’attend à la même chose de toi. The moment we stop trusting each other, we shake hands and go our separate ways.
This is us.
Bio
Emma is me. 19 years of marketing experience, both in ad agencies and in companies operating nationally and internationally. I developed my passion for brands while working for a holding company that owned more than 70 different national brands. When one was struggling, I was the one they called to turn it around and restore its former glory. I am known for my analytical mindset and my ability to set my personal tastes aside and rely on facts.
What he values: trust-based relationships.
What he hates most: focus groups.
Nickname: emma
Date of birth: none of your business.
Bio
Maryse is our creative wordsmith with ideas nobody else thinks of. So many ideas run through that brilliant mind! It’s with words that Maryse takes us elsewhere. The overarching concept behind the brands we create is something she defines based on the outcomes of the workshops we conduct with our clients.
Maryse worked for a long time at a mega-agency in Montreal. In 2020, she decided to go freelance and now works from her humble manor in Gaspésie with her canine friend.
What she values: creativity, a paddle board, and silence.
What she hates most: braggarts! (she insists on the exclamation point)
Nickname: “I do not really have one… my name is only three syllables anyway.”
Date of birth: Somewhere in 1978.
Bio
Julie is the creative eye behind several of our most colourful projects—literally and figuratively. When she is not juggling typefaces or putting a grid back in order, she is probably running or cycling… or planning her next vacation. Because yes, Julie takes vacations very seriously—almost as seriously as design.
Down-to-earth and funny without ever trying too hard, she always brings that little touch of humour and lightness that makes work feel easier. She likes things done well, but above all, she likes doing them with heart.
What she values: Add some colour and the rest will be fine.
What she hates most: hot chicken sandwiches—cannot stand soggy bread…
Nickname: Tonka
Date of birth: 90’s kiddo
Bio
Fred is the guy you call when a project gets too technical to just look pretty. He listens, breaks it down, takes a step back, then comes back with something that actually works. A website. A tool. A dashboard. An automation. Not just a concept.
With over a decade in industrial and B2B marketing, and a few trophies under his belt, he knows how to take complex realities and turn them into clear, useful digital experiences that real people can actually understand. He doesn’t “just build websites.” He connects strategy, data, and execution so nothing gets lost between the business objectives and what ends up on screen.
What he does, at its core, is connect the dots between strategy, data, and execution.
What he prioritizes: solutions that ship.
What he hates above all: picking up a poorly started, poorly finished, and never documented project.
Nickname: Master Fred
Date of birth: Somewhere in the early 1980s.