Vancouver-based brand and creative agency Pendo was awarded Silver in the inaugural Small Design Agency of the Year category at Strategy’s Agency of the Year Awards Ceremony in Toronto on October 28, 2026.
Co-founded in 2015 by Brand Director Don Cleland and Creative Director Peter Ladd, Pendo has earned the trust and respect of clients in multiple categories, including retail, consumer packaged goods and technology.
Aligning business strategy with strong creative vision, Pendo creates brands that respond to shifts in perspective, culture and trends.
“This is an exciting time to be a lean and nimble creative agency, as clients of all sizes are buying winning creative and strong results rather than infrastructure,” says Cleland. “The Strategy Awards are particularly meaningful to us because the jury consists of industry leaders on both the agency and client sides.”
Ladd elaborates on the agency’s thinking: “In our creative work, we push for internal alignment, thorough current and potential customer understanding, and long-term relevance. In everything we do, intuition, clarity and our clients’ trust help us uncover the niches that hold the strongest opportunities. We keep searching and then refining the creative until it feels right.”
One client’s comment illustrates Pendo’s approach: “Pendo’s strategic advisory was integral to positioning us at a global scale and closely connecting with our internal culture, setting us up to drive the next phase of our brand.”
The Strategy Awards Program is produced by Strategy, Canada’s national marketing and media news platform. The new Small Design category celebrates agencies with fewer than 25 employees doing exceptional work across the visual communications spectrum.
