Tony Lyons

President & Chief Strategy Officer

strategy

Tony is the Owner, President, and Chief Creative Officer of Alphabet® and has more than 30 years of experience in the marketing and advertising industry. His career began in Ireland, where he held senior designer positions at several of Ireland’s premier design and advertising studios including Young & Rubicam. He moved to Ottawa in 1995, taking the role of Associate Creative Director at one of Ottawa’s largest full-service advertising firms where he was assigned high-profile creative work for regional and national clients.

He started Alphabet® in 2000 and has since grown the company to include 27 full-time staff across three departments: strategy and account planning, digital and web development, and creative services.

Tony’s keen observations about customer experience and the importance of creating a brand platform to engage both internal and external channels have impacted client businesses exponentially. 

Under Tony’s leadership, Alphabet® has been the lead agency for major brand re-development projects, creative strategies, and content marketing programs for clients across a variety of sectors including associations, tourism, and healthcare: the Royal, the Ottawa Hospital Foundation, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, the Canadian Construction Association, the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries, Minto Communities Ottawa, Kingston Tourism, Destination Nunavut, Parque das Aves Brazil, Iguazu Falls Tourism, the Pacific Asia Tourism Association, Export Development Canada, the Canadian Real Estate Association, Newcap Radio, Pfizer Canada, and more. 

Tony has presented at the Professional Development Institute, University of Ottawa, and the Government of Canada PSPC (Public Services and Procurement Canada) communications department and several third sector industry conferences.

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Highlights

  • Winner of major Canadian and International marketing awards
  • Member of TEC Canada
  • Working with mental health organizations in brand development and fundraising
  • Board member of Pacific Asia Tourism Association Foundation
  • Working with smart people everyday to bring ideas to life!

Highlights

From the team

culture

How Colours Can Colour Our Behaviour

by Stephanie Chartrand

Most people tend to see themselves as rational thinkers, making decisions grounded in reason. The truth, however, is that most of us act emotionally, the left...

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industry

Alphabet® Wins Two Summit Creative Awards for Work with Tourism Kingston

by Alphabet®

We’re proud to announce that we’ve won not one but two 2022 Summit Creative Awards for our recent work with Tourism Kingston. The Summit Creative Awards...

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industry

Risky Advertising: The Good, The Bad, and The Stinky

by Cory Davis

Advertising is a risky business these days. Nudity on billboards, super bowel movements, and that “Dry January” tweet are a few examples of brands sticking...

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industry social media

Curating a Selfie-Made Tourism Destination

by Marley Kirkpatrick

Millennials and Gen Z tourists are unlike their predecessors. Their desire to experience different cultures, food, and adventures remains the same, but how...

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campaigns industry

Creating a 360° Brand Your Audience Connects With

by Meagan Kelly

The idea of a brand is different today than it was even 18 months ago. Look even further back, say a decade, and the way we operate when it comes to brands is...

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digital marketing

How to edit your way to a captivating video

by Mike Short

A video editor is like the bass player in a band.  Oftentimes, they’re overshadowed by the drummer, but their role is as important to the rhythm (or...

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industry

What’s in a Name?

by Steve Bowker

On the surface, a good brand name feels like it’s meant to be. It’s clear, concise, and memorable, and it works hard to drive equity – without us even...

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digital marketing social media

The Art of the Hashtag

by Cory Davis

A pound sign here, a number sign there, and you’re good to go, right?  Not quite (#SorryNotSorry). There’s more to expanding your reach on social...

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culture industry

Hitting a Creative Wall? Try Thinking Inside the Box.

by Chris Campeau

“Think outside the box.” We’ve all heard it. A mantra so married to the creative industry, so embedded in our lexicon, it’s as commonly uttered as...

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