About Us

Meet your new marketing department.

Our Team

Joe Coffey Owner, Strategy Director

Joe co-founded Upstream in 2006 at the ripe age of 22 while studying Business Commerce at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Joe’s core strength is leading the development of brand and marketing strategies for clients.

An anecdote that best sums up Joe’s zest for bold marketing is the time he slipped Prince Charles his business card and lived to tell the tale.

Gareth Mitton Creative Director

If you left Gareth alone in a room, he would spend all day coming up with ideas and writing things; a fact he’s put to good use in his 20+ year career. A key Upstream freelancer since the early 2010s, Gareth is now our Creative Director and lead writer.

Outside the office, Gareth can be found walking his rescue beagle, Duke; playing soccer (he’s from England — it’s a rule); publishing the occasional novel; or doing a downward dog (he’s a certified yoga teacher!)

Stephanie Boutilier Art Director

Upstream’s Art Director is the epitome of “well rounded”. Stephanie started out working for a newspaper in 2007 before a stint at a full-service ad agency. From there, she spent five years in web design, then another five with an architectural and interior design firm.

When not checking all the boxes of the ultimate AD, Steph can be found putting her fine arts degree to good use doing some painting, hitting the yoga mat, careening down a rugged trail on her mountain bike, or hanging out with her two poodles, Walter and Donnie (named for John Goodman and Steve Buscemi’s characters in The Big Lebowski!)

Paul Coffey Project Manager

Paul is an Account Manager with Upstream and responsible for ensuring projects are completed on-time and on-budget. Paul honed his skills and ability to manage a lot of moving parts working as a Digital Product Owner at Johnson Insurance, a national insurance company.

Paul is also an aspiring baller who hasn’t given up on his dream to be a starting guard for the Toronto Raptors.

Vaishal Shah Growth Strategist

Vaishal is a gifted strategist with unique experience in market research, communication strategies development, and business growth. Vaishal’s experience working for multi-national companies doing international marketing and his MBA training have proven to be valuable additions to our team that have helped elevate the business and academic fidelity of our marketing strategies for clients.

Vaishal loves exploring Newfoundland’s great outdoors and offroading in his 2007 Corolla.

Brian Summers Production Manager, Designer

Brian is the swiss army knives of swiss army knives and an award-winning designer with 15+ years of experience in the advertising industry.

Production art, IT, website development, studio management, animation, an abundance of random knowledge, a gigantic collection of Kirby merchandise etc, etc, etc. The list goes on and on.

Every agency team needs a Brian.

Martha Penney Office Manager

Martha is a highly dedicated and exceptionally organized office manager, diligently ensuring the seamless operation of Upstream. With a proven track record in bookkeeping and accounting at multinational corporations, her expertise has been instrumental in Upstream’s continued success.

Just don’t eat her Turkey soup. Trust us.

Freelancers & Partners

We work with a deep network of gifted freelance specialists and partner companies in NL, other parts of Canada and the world to deliver a full range of marketing services to our clients.

Our Story

In 2006, Joe Coffey was an intern at the largest marketing firm in Eastern Canada. While there, Joe was asked to work on a casino account with the goal of influencing more people to gamble. Faced with a moral conflict, he decided to start his own firm.

14+ years later, Upstream is a trusted marketing firm that picks its clients carefully and aims to promote products and services it believes in.

Our Values

HONESTY

That’s where it all starts. We’re honest to a fault in matters both big and small. Our success is built on a track record of integrity.

CONSCIENTIOUS

We put our heart and soul into everything we do. Our reputation depends on delivering high quality work. Every. Single. Time.

LISTEN

We’re marketing experts. You’re an expert when it comes to your business. What we’ve learned is that listening to clients is a shortcut to results.

LEADERSHIP

Yes, we do listen but we also bring leadership. You can count on our honest feedback and input on how to grow your business.

CREATIVITY

We’re here to make you stand out, not blend in with the crowd. That’s where original ideas and creativity is critical.

PRINCIPLED

We have a diverse team and want everyone to be able to fully get behind the clients we serve. That’s why we say “thanks, but no thanks” to marketing vice products, political parties and polarizing social causes.