Following a two-year process, Redwood Communications has rebranded itself as Totem. The custom publisher’s renaming is part of the deal it made with Transcontinental when it was purchased by the company in November of 2008.


Totem CEO and founder of Redwood Eric Schneider said the name reflects the company’s focus on not simply custom publishing, but marketing for clients. “As consumers have gained a new level of control of the conversation with brands, there has been an overall recognition that well-constructed content that brings entertainment, solutions and clarity of information has huge value for both the consumer and the marketer,” said Schneider in a press release. “We take our clients’ brands and extend them as media properties, using brand stories as totems for brand communities.”

As part of the deal with Transcontinental, all printing at Totem will eventually move to the company. Also, all Totem staff will stay with the company and its offices will remain downtown Toronto, Schneider confirmed in an interview with Masthead.

Totem has offices in Toronto and New York and is part of Transcontinental’s Marketing Communications sector. It creates custom publications for companies including Procter & Gamble, The Home Depot and Sobeys.