Hendersonville, NC—Award-winning strategic communications firm Formation PR + Brand announced today it has named Derek Coté as its new creative director. With a distinguished career spanning two decades in design, branding and marketing, Coté’s leadership will drive the agency’s next phase of growth, enabling the firm to grow its creative team and capacity to serve new clients.
In this role, Coté will lead the agency’s creative direction and be involved in all aspects of the creative and design process, from initial discovery and strategy to design execution. He will also ensure creative concepts are on-brand, on-message and aligned with clients’ overall brand and communications strategies. Additionally, Coté will develop and articulate the creative vision for projects and campaigns and collaborate with senior leadership to drive business development.
“Formation PR + Brand is approaching 18 years in business next year, ” said Erica Allison, CEO and founder of the agency. “I’ve spent the better part of the last two years working to map out what our next phase of growth will look like. In addition to a relentless focus on process improvement and client outcomes, bringing on top-tier talent more closely aligned with that focus has been a priority.” Allison adds that having Coté on board will also be “instrumental in leading the agency’s next phase of growth.”
Open to unconventional and innovative methods, Coté approaches design from an artistic perspective and is adept at creating compelling concepts that give form to abstract ideas. “The opportunity to join a team of genuine professionals is rare,” Coté said. “I’m hoping that my diverse history and broad experience will strengthen and support the team and elevate the agency.”
Before his role as creative director, Coté spent a decade as an art and design professor, three years as the art director for an art magazine, and two years as the marketing manager and art director for a global architecture firm, in addition to freelancing for numerous marketing and advertising agencies. His appointment underscores Formation PR + Brand’s ongoing commitment to attracting top-tier talent to meet the needs of its diverse and growing client base for many years to come.
Founded in 2007, Formation PR + Brand is guided by a simple mission: Listen. Create. Empower. Impact. The agency is committed to investing locally while also working with clients across the country who are dedicated to creating social and economic impact throughout the communities and regions in which they work. To date, the agency has served nearly 300 clients across 10 states and the District of Columbia.
About Formation PR + Brand
Founded in 2007 by Erica McArthur Allison, Formation PR + Brand is a public relations and branding agency guided by a simple mission: Listen. Create. Empower. Impact. The agency’s client base works in higher education, nonprofit and philanthropy, healthcare, and regional and economic development. Formation PR + Brand is a member of the Public Relations Society of America; AdClub WNC, an affiliate chapter of the American Advertising Federation; Henderson County Partnership for Economic Development; the Hendersonville Area Chamber of Commerce; and is a Living Wage employer as certified by Just Economic of WNC. To learn more about Formation PR + Brand, visit formationpr.com.
