McMillan advertising agency closes after 30-year run and failed merger with U.S. firm

McMillan, once Ottawa's largest advertising agency, has ceased operations after declaring bankruptcy July 31. The shop closed with 10 employees, less than a year and a half after being acquired by U.S. firm S3 Agency in June 2024.

Founded in 1996 by Gord McMillan, the agency built a roster of major clients including Commvault and Schneider Electric and employed nearly 60 people at its peak. The shop faced a severe downturn in 2019, losing major accounts and laying off more than half its workforce. It filed for bankruptcy protection that year but reached a settlement with creditors by 2020 and began rehiring, signing new clients like Entrust, BF&M, and Vontier.

The acquisition by S3 in June 2024 was intended as a lifeline. McMillan had 18 employees at the time of the merger. Denise Blasevick, S3's co-founder and CEO, confirmed the shutdown Thursday, calling it "the end of an era for one of Ottawa's most respected agencies." She noted that "market conditions became progressively more difficult for agencies of McMillan's size and model" and "the business contracted to the point it was no longer viable."

Founder Gord McMillan, now retired from the industry, expressed sadness about the closure. "The real reason for bringing our organizations together was to keep the Ottawa team together," McMillan said. "They really were hoping for another outcome, but business is cruel." Blasevick expressed hope the displaced staff would find new opportunities, saying any organization would be fortunate to have them.