THE UN KNOWN® goes AI-first: a creative consultancy built for measurable brand growth
Montreal's THE UN KNOWN® has moved from production house to Next-Generation Consultancy-an AI-first, human-powered agency where strategy, creativity, and technology work as one. The goal is simple: create work that moves people and moves the numbers.
The agency's stance is clear: AI doesn't replace the team-it multiplies their reach. It sharpens intuition, speeds up decisions, and opens new creative options without losing the human signal.
A clear creed: Illuminate. Transform. Grow.
Led by Founder & CEO Fayçal Hajji and Vice President & Partner Aneta Kanaan, THE UN KNOWN® evolved from FH Studio (founded in 2010) into a creative agency in 2018-and now into a consultancy built for what's next. The model blends strategic intelligence with creative soul, with AI embedded across the work, not bolted on.
As Hajji puts it, AI is a catalyst-an ally that helps create with more precision, more meaning, and more impact. The agency has backed that belief with significant investments since 2022.
What the AI-first model means for brands (and for creatives)
- Predictive strategy: pattern-spotting at speed to inform positioning, timing, and channel choices.
- Creative development: faster iteration, stronger briefs, and concept testing without losing gut instinct.
- Augmented production: smarter pre-viz, asset reuse, and automation where it adds quality and saves time.
- Measurement loop: clear KPIs tied to growth, with creative and media decisions informed by real signals.
The throughline: Emotion, relevance, and resonance stay non-negotiable.
The launch: an immersive brand experience
To mark the shift, the team turned their studios into a live brand lab. Guests moved through a full-space activation with projection mapping, custom audiovisual performances, and signature dishes and cocktails aligned to the brand's values.
Beyond the show, the event introduced a new identity and promise: a redefined model, an expanded vision, and a fully refreshed visual and sonic system-guided by the credo, Illuminate. Transform. Grow.
Leadership, clients, and what's next
THE UN KNOWN® serves as agency of record for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, FoodHero, AMG Medical, Dex4, Drink Templ, and Clinique Claymont. Expect upcoming campaigns where growth strategy meets creative invention and practical AI.
The ambition is straightforward: help ambitious brands grow with purpose across markets and cultures-without losing the human story.
Practical takeaways for creatives
- Map where AI adds signal: research, concepting, versioning, pre-viz, localization, and measurement.
- Create prompt guides and brand guardrails so outputs stay on-voice and on-standard.
- Prototype fast in sprints: low-fidelity first, then refine what proves value.
- Keep the core human: story, taste, and judgment decide what ships.
- Measure what matters: link creative decisions to growth metrics you can explain.
About THE UN KNOWN®
THE UN KNOWN® is a Next-Generation Consultancy blending strategy, creativity, and technology to help brands illuminate hidden potential, transform with intent, and grow with purpose. From roots as a production house in 2010 to a creative agency in 2018, the company now partners with leaders ready to build what's next-driven by people and amplified by AI.
Photo credit: The Un Known (CNW Group/The Un Known)
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