Meet Andrew Martineau | Chief Creative Altruist & Partner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrew Martineau and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrew, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve always been a creative person and set my sights on getting into the advertising/marketing industry at a very early age. I was fortunate enough to be able to intern at an office of a global advertising agency out of high school and a job at a commercial printer shortly after, before going to college to formerly study graphic design. Upon graduation I immediately got a position at a local advertising firm, where I was able to increase my knowledge in the industry and be exposed to larger clients, brands and opportunities. At this time, having developed the skill to utilize graphic design and marketing strategy to solve clients challenges, I felt that opening a business that was able to offer these services was something that would allow me the flexibility to not have to be dependent on an employer to generate income and the ability to make my own schedule.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
UniteUs Group began life as The Martineau Collective a boutique creative agency looking to change the traditional agency model. Today it is a leader in creating strategic communications, experiences, and community building. The company built its business on providing a variety of creative solutions to various sectors including Tourism, Entertainment, Luxury Services, Finance & Insurance, Resorts & Hotels, Real Estate, Shopping Centers, Food & Beverage, Health & Beauty, Fashion and the 45+ Market. In 2017 Evan Snow joined the UniteUs Group as a partner and leveraged the vast marketing, advertising and community building experiences from its founder to launch the Community Outreach Platform Choose954. UniteUs Group rapidly grew over the last four years, initially through the creation of Art Fort Lauderdale, and then by turning Choose954 into successful community outreach and media platform, creating FemAle Brew Fest, Fort Lauderdale Art & Design Week, Greater Fort Lauderdale Beer Week and Zero Empty Spaces. Today UniteUs Group is a leader in communications, experiences, and community building, and home to multiple entities that support its vision of creating solution-driven communications, experiences, and community building. The company has been a leader not only in creating effective solutions to the challenges experienced by a myriad of companies, providing a seamless integration of various marketing services to provide clients with the most effective and efficient solutions, but also in funding and producing several county-wide initiatives that help nurture the community in which the company resides. Throughout its history, the leadership of the UniteUs Group has supported and championed the local advertising industry, art world, environment and community. In addition to nurturing relationships with several entities in film, food, architecture, art, music, design, technology and fashion which then influences its process of creating solutions to problems presented to them by businesses, cities, artists and communities.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Day One: Brunch at Foxy Brown, hanging out on Hollywood Beach, grab a drink on the Broadwalk, FlowRida at Margaritaville, lunch at GoBistro, visit to Art & Culture Center, Hollywood, Hollywood Mural Tour, dinner at Krakatoa, karaoke at Monkeytail. Day Two: Brunch at Coconuts, hanging out on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Riverboat cruise on Jungle Queen, Visit to Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, Dinner at Steak 954 (W Fort Lauderdale), night out at Living Room (W Fort Lauderdale) Day Three: Breakfast at The Alchemist Coffee & Slicers (The Yard), stroll down Wilton Manors, visit to Zero Empty Spaces studios (Oakland Park), beers at Funky Buddha Brewery, beers at Bangin’ Banjo Brewing Company, lunch at El Guanaco Taqueria Y Antojitos, dinner at Mai Kai. Day Four: Brunch at Louis Bossi, Stroll Down Las Olas, visit to the Stranahan House, water taxi tour of intracoastal, grab a drink at The Wharf, dinner at Harborwood Urban Kitchen and Bar (Hyatt Centric Las Olas). Day Five: Breakfast at Top Hat, hanging out at Society Las Olas pool & bar, grab a beer at Invasive Species, grab a beer at Laser Wolf, dinner at Temple Street Eatery, night out at Rhythm & Vine. Day Six: Coffee at Grind Coffee Project, beer at Tarpon River Brewing, trip to Everglades, visit to The Frank C. Ortis Art Gallery and Exhibit Hall, Dinner at Kuro (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino), Night out at Daer Nightclub/Dayclub (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino). Day Seven: Breakfast at Colada, visit to NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, visit to Zero Empty Spaces studios (Gulfstream Park Racing and Casino), beers at 3 Sons Brewing Co, stroll through Dania Pointe, dinner at Cooper’s Hawk Winery & restaurant.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’ve got several people and entities that have had a part to play in my success. Outside of my incredible parents, who were supportive enough to facilitate my move to another country on my own at the age of 19, I’d have to say two college professors who have now become incredible friends (Laurence Gartel and Adnan Razack), Glenda Nobles (bookstore manager where I did my work study while in college), Robert Taglairino (who gave me my first agency job and gave me a solid foundation in problem solving), the local chapters of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), my incredible wife Frances Antonio-Martineau and my business partner Evan Snow.

Website: www.uniteusgroup.com, www.zeroemptyspaces.com, www.artftlauderdale.com, www.gflbeerweek.com, www.femalebrewfest.com, www.ftladw.com, www.choose954.com
Instagram: @uniteusgroup, @zeroemptyspaces, @artftlauderdale, @gflbeerweek, @femalebrewfest, @ftl.art.and.design.week @choose954
Linkedin: creativealtruist
Twitter: @uniteusgroup, @zeroemptyspaces, @artftlauderdale, @gflbeerweek, @femalebrewfest, @choose954
Facebook: @uniteusgroup, @zeroemptyspaces, @artftlauderdale, @GFLBeerWeek, @femalebrewfest, @choose954, @FTLADW
Youtube: Zero Empty Spaces, Art Fort Lauderdale, Choose954

Image Credits
Photos Courtesy (UniteUs Group of Companies)