A Glimpse Into Sid Lee Paris
Editor’s Note: As a collective, we have so many member company offices represented around the globe. We aim to share and showcase their uniqueness, as well as the traditions that connect them to their colleagues worldwide. To that end we invited Sid Lee Paris to give us a taste of how the team stays true to its French Canadian roots – while also adding a Parisian flair.
We’re set up in a typical Parisian building, but our office atmosphere is anything but ordinary. We have a large central space where we gather together, exchange ideas, hold meetings and eat together communally every day. This practice reinforces the agency’s cohesion and sense of community and makes sure that we’re all together at least once a day.
Inspired by our roots, we have Sid Lee branding posters adorning the walls. Our office reflects the codes of Sid Lee’s culture, where the most sought-after office spots remain public and accessible. Open spaces encourage collaboration, as we seek to remain a creative incubator in Paris by hosting artists and illustrators. We have been a home to the artist Tyrsa for the past 7 years, and he can be credited for drawing the walls in Sid Lee Los Angeles. We currently house three artists and illustrators, who are former agency employees and are now pursuing artistic careers.
But while we hold dear to Sid Lee traditions, we also like to put our own Parisian spin on them. Sid Lee Days are held annually in each Sid Lee office. At the last Sid Lee Day in Paris, we had a variety of activities on-site: massages, video game stations, a PlayStation, a manicurist, a cocktail workshop — activities that are more typical of Sid Lee days — but also added a French touch: a pastis tasting (a popular spirit in France), cheese, wine, and charcuterie. It was pretty lively and everyone enjoyed themselves, adding to our casual atmosphere in our agency office.
In addition to creating a familial atmosphere in the office, we continue to encourage comradery on the go as well. Agency trips are part of Sid Lee history, but as some offices grow the feasibility is limited. But since our office is still under 100 people, we are currently able to continue this tradition.
This year, we traveled to Iceland to celebrate the end of 2017 project deadlines, and to plan for 2018. We had the opportunity to reflect on the past year, motivate teams, and encourage transparency. The leadership presented business numbers for 2017 and goals for 2018; YARD co-founders Tom Brunet and Yoan Prat also presented their best cases and upcoming projects for 2018.
Now we are currently in the midst of planning to move to our new offices, only a few blocks from our current space. There we look forward to setting up an even bigger central table to have room for everyone joining Sid Lee Paris as well as YARD.
At the end of the day, Sid Lee holds the utmost respect for everyone. We’re a family, and it is in both daily and out of the ordinary rituals where those bonds are created. Spending time together outside of work, having the time to talk about everything and nothing, learning to understand each other, creating bonds — that’s what creates loyalty, team unity, and ensures our values endure.
Photo courtesy of Sid Lee