Here Be Monsters

What Here Be Monsters does

Here Be Monsters Communications Inc. is a Vancouver-based, partner-owned independent creative agency founded in 2017 by Matt Bielby, Tony Hird, and Chris Raedcher. Operating from a single Vancouver office at 111 W Broadway, the firm delivers integrated branding and advertising services across seven core practice areas: advertising, design, digital, corporate communications, strategy, writing, and art direction. The agency's revenue model is professional-services based, structured around project and retainer engagements with custom quotes; it does not publish pricing and operates no self-serve, product-led, or marketplace channel. Client acquisition is sales-led, driven by portfolio visibility, industry awards (Communication Arts, Coasties, Applied Arts, Graphis, Strategy Small Agency shortlists), earned media coverage, and referrals rather than outbound demand generation.

The firm targets values-led brands and mission-driven organizations, with a documented roster spanning government (Government of BC, Vancouver Coastal Health, Tourism Kamloops), nonprofit (United Way BC, Lumara Grief & Bereavement Society, Interchange Recycling, Tire Stewardship of BC), financial services (Dominion Lending Centres), food and beverage (Nature's Fare Markets, Canterbury Coffee, Konscious Foods, Brewing August, GUD), real estate (UBC Properties Trust), software (Function Point), and education (West Point Grey Academy). Quantified campaign outcomes include 100M+ impressions and 500+ US healthcare worker recruitments for the Province of BC, a 37% year-over-year donation lift and 700,000 period products donated for United Way BC, and a 2,314% website-traffic lift on a Government of BC public-safety campaign. The technology footprint is entirely human-deliverable creative services — there is no proprietary software platform, AI tooling, API surface, or app product.

Name

Here Be Monsters

Legal name

Here Be Monsters Communications Inc.

Website

https://herebemonsters.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Here Be Monsters is a Vancouver-based independent creative agency, founded in 2017, providing branding, advertising, design, and digital services to mission-driven brands, government agencies, nonprofits, and mid-market enterprises primarily across British Columbia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Advertising & Brand Strategy Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Packaging & Brand Identity Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAN), Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD)

Keywords

• Creative agency services
• Brand strategy consulting
• Advertising campaign creation
• Visual identity design
• Corporate communications services

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Creative Agency Services: Here Be Monsters generates revenue by providing fee-based creative and branding services to clients. Services include advertising campaigns, visual identity development, brand strategy, digital/social content creation, website design, and corporate communications. Revenue is project-based or retainer-driven, typical of independent creative agencies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Here Be Monsters is an independent creative agency that provides brand strategy, visual identity design, advertising campaigns, digital and social content, website design, and corporate communications for values-driven clients. Engagements are delivered on a project or retainer basis across TV, digital, social, OOH, radio, and print channels. The agency focuses on government, nonprofit, and purpose-led enterprise organizations primarily in British Columbia and Western Canada.

Product overview

Here Be Monsters is a Vancouver-based branding and advertising agency offering a comprehensive suite of creative services. The agency operates as a single integrated offering rather than a platform-with-modules architecture. Core services span advertising (tactical campaigns, product launches, events), design (visual identity, packaging, digital, motion, environmental), digital (social media, content, websites, email marketing), and corporate communications. The agency also provides strategic services including research, brand strategy, writing, and art direction. The agency works primarily with mission-driven brands and organizations, including government clients (Government of BC campaigns), financial services (Dominion Lending Centres), retail (Nature's Fare Markets), and various other sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advertising Services
• Design Services
• Digital Services
• Corporate Communications
• Brand Strategy
• Writing
• Art Direction

Quantifiable outcome

• 100M+ campaign impressions and 500+ healthcare workers recruited to BC from a single campaign
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• eastcherry/KiddominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Production partner for the Lumara Grief & Bereavement Society pro bono holiday campaign. eastcherry/Kiddo contributed services or reduced fees as part of a coalition of production partners who joined the campaign because they believed in the work.
• Wave Audio ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Audio production partner contributing services or reduced fees for the Lumara Grief & Bereavement Society pro bono campaign, joining a coalition of production partners who believed in the cause.
• Bandit CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Production partner contributing services or reduced fees for the Lumara Grief & Bereavement Society pro bono campaign as part of a multi-partner creative coalition.
• Angelyne MartinminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Creative contributor who joined the pro bono Lumara Grief & Bereavement Society holiday campaign, contributing services at reduced fees.
• Blanka SmekalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Creative contributor who joined the pro bono Lumara Grief & Bereavement Society holiday campaign, contributing services at reduced fees.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• lg2: Quebec-based independent creative agency group with strong brand strategy and design capabilities. Comparable to HBM as a Canadian-owned indie competing on creative excellence and integrated brand building, though serving different regional markets.
• Zulu Alpha Kilo: Toronto-based independent creative agency known for consistently high-impact, award-recognized work. Comparable to HBM as a Canadian indie competing on creative excellence over scale, with similar boutique positioning and brand-building capabilities.
• john st. Toronto-based independent creative agency with a long-standing reputation for creative-led work and award recognition. Comparable to HBM as a Canadian indie competing for similar creative mandates from purpose-driven and enterprise brands.
• Rethink: Vancouver/Toronto-based independent creative agency widely regarded as one of Canada's top indie shops. Closely comparable to HBM in size, structure, and independent-ownership positioning, with similar award-winning creative output and values-driven brand work.
• Juniper Park\TBWA: Toronto-based creative agency within the TBWA network, known for challenger-brand and independent-minded creative work. Comparable to HBM in creative ambition and brand-building focus, with similar positioning around brand strategy and integrated campaigns.

Broad incumbents

• Cossette: Canada's largest independently owned agency network, offering advertising, branding, media, and digital services nationally. Comparable to HBM in offering a full creative services portfolio, but operates at significantly larger scale with national reach.
• DDB Canada: Canadian arm of the DDB Worldwide creative network, providing full-service advertising and brand strategy. Comparable to HBM in serving enterprise and government clients with integrated creative work, but with global network scale and cross-market capability.
• Leo Burnett Canada: Canadian office of Leo Burnett, a global creative network known for brand-building work and purpose-driven campaigns. Comparable to HBM in delivering values-led brand work for enterprise and public-sector clients, but with broader network scale and resources.
• Ogilvy Canada: Canadian office of Ogilvy, one of the world's largest creative networks, offering advertising, branding, and integrated communications. Comparable to HBM in delivering brand strategy and integrated campaigns, but with global infrastructure and broader capabilities.
• BBDO Canada: Canadian presence of BBDO Worldwide, a global creative network with deep enterprise and government client rosters. Comparable to HBM in serving enterprise-scale clients with strategic brand and advertising work, but with national and global network advantages.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HBMVancouver
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/here-be-monsters
• Instagraminstagram.com/hbmvancouver

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Here Be Monsters