TUX Creative House works closely with consumer brands such as L’Oreal, Lancome, Converse and more to deliver luxe marketing through a variety of modes such as design, branding, production, media, and digital content. Self-described as a “full-service shop,” TUX aims to be man’s best friend in the consumer world, with a fully integrated service that encourages brands to fulfill their highest potential as they enter the market and cultivate their unique identity.
“What we think is different with TUX is that we do have a really good connection to just cultural pulse,” said Ciupka.
Many things stand out about TUX, especially their progressive work culture, but there would be no TUX without endearing co-founders and couple Dominic Tremblay and Ludwig Ciupka.
Ciupka and Tremblay met 15 years ago after crossing paths on a creative project. Ciupka, a fashion photographer at the time, and Tremblay, a brand director at L’Oreal, began dating soon after, and have been encouraging each other both personally and in their artistic endeavors since.
Their shared drive is what has brought them and their family of four to Santa Monica over a year ago, in search of a fresh start and the chance to take in the more relaxed energy that California has to offer. The more bohemian, beach-inspired aesthetics have drastically transformed both their company and their family, which is evident in the bright decor of their mid-century style home.
To their pleasant surprise, Santa Monica has offered a more walkable and family-based community than they expected, always meeting other families at their kids’ events. Santa Monica has provided them with the perfect balance of all their favorite activities such as hiking, swimming, and biking, that they used to only be able to do outside of Montreal in the surrounding country.
“We feel so at home, to be honest. I mean, the kids, us, we’ve been feeling at home since our arrival,” said Dom.
With an impressive catalog of over 1000 clients and staff spanning from Montreal to now LA, the company is as personal to the couple as their own relationship, having been born out of a cause very close to their heart. 15 years ago after the pair decided to do a pro-bono event together for the AIDS Foundation back in Montreal, and from there TUX was born.
“This was personal. It was just us two working and then from that moment, we just decided to, let’s do it together to try it and see where it goes,” said Dom.
Fifteen years on and two kids later, the company and founders have gone far, moving to California over a year ago, after opening up a second TUX office in their dream destination: Santa Monica.
“[It’s] the only place in the US where we can see ourselves living. I think LA has … a progressive mindset. People are socially advanced. We’re obviously a queer family, so it’s an environment that’s this progressive,” Dom said.
With an economy the size of Germany, California also opened TUX up to a massive market, and has given the company the opportunity to acquire another agency, Another Creative, and expand on their own creative abilities including working with CGI and AI.
“When you make it here, you really understand there’s a dynamic here [that] can only exist here, even [in] California,” said Dom.
At the heart of the company’s thriving business lies strategic and inclusive work policies that have advanced their creative capabilities. A four day work week has drastically advanced their internal culture. Known for a high turnover rate, the creative industry’s turnover rate in the US and Canada reached an all time high of 40% during the pandemic, only stabilizing to 25% recently, forcing Dom and Ludwig to reevaluate their priorities as a company.
“I think just because a company is [a] certified LGBTQ company, because of the ownership, we tend to attract people that have, in other organizations, have been maybe less integrated, or less developed, less part of the decision making. So I think that that’s a good thing for us. So I really think that we benefit from [their diversity],” said Tremblay.
TUX’s diversified and sensible office culture has ignited great success, both internally at their offices and externally in their revenue. “Now we know, our margin has increased by 24%, our retention is down to 8%. The satisfaction of clients is high. So all the metrics are positive,” said Tremblay.
“This industry that’s always been squeezing a bunch of creatives and whatnot, is now losing a lot of creatives, and they’re not coming back. So we’re like, ‘Well, we have to find a way to keep the best talent — the people that are the most sensible and connected,” said Ciupka.
Being B Corp certified, their commitment to their employees goes beyond just being a safe space, but allows them to extend the creative bounds of their work to hit at the individuality of each of their employees and clients.
“It’s not just about featuring [our employees]. It’s also understanding ‘the why’ you’re featuring them and not just like, displaying what you think they look like and how you think they act and whatnots — and doing all of that work has always been very true to our heart,” said Ciupka.
Antoinette Damico, SMDP Intern