IPG’s Influencer Marketing Agency, ITB, to Join McCann Content Studios, Rounding Out the Agency’s Influencer Practice
McCann announced the launch of McCann Content Studios, providing clients with a global capability for social and influencer marketing, as well as connected social commerce. IPG’s influencer agency ITB will join the new unit. McCann LIVE, the network’s social practice that has pioneered work for clients such as Aldi in the UK and Converse in the U.S., will also become part of McCann Content Studios.
McCann Content Studios will house the network’s social and influencer strategy capabilities; social creative ideation and content creation; social audience and connection strategies and activation; influencer content co-creation and production; and performance measurement and optimization.
ITB, IPG’s pioneering influencer agency, will be integrated into McCann Content Studios. Launched in 2006 with offices in Los Angeles, New York and London, the agency has an established track record of success activating influencers to advance brand platforms for clients including Unilever and Mastercard. By bringing this capability together with McCann’s brand social and social commerce offerings, the agency is enabling clients to have access to a full-service social content and influencer marketing capability that removes the siloes between social and influence that have emerged in the industry.
“Brands are increasingly interacting today in social communities in dialogue with fans, creators and influencers. McCann, with our deep heritage and experience in building enduring brand platforms, has been creating social storytelling for brands at scale for some time now. McCann Content Studios will provide our clients with a way to participate in the creator economy and co-create with them without losing their brand’s unique perspective and social voice, getting the best of both worlds,” said Daryl Lee, Global CEO of McCann and McCann Worldgroup.
“At MCN, we pride ourselves on our pioneering spirit when it comes to integration and collaboration across agencies and within our network. Our united goal is to generate unmatched creativity and success for our clients. The launch of McCann’s Content Studios represents a further extension of our capabilities by offering our clients a comprehensive, data-driven, audience-centric, and modular suite of creative content services aimed at realizing their broader business goals,” commented Ghassan Harfouche, Group CEO at MCN MENAT and President of McCann Worldgroup APAC.
The leadership of the new unit has also been announced:
Amit Sutha has been tapped as President and Global Chief Client Officer of McCann Content Studios, reporting to Lee. Most recently Global Chief Client Officer and Global President of Performance & Campaign Content at sister agency Mediabrands Content Studios, Sutha has had a global career spanning continents and has built both creative and media businesses into dominant positions in their markets. His work at Mediabrands helped transform the definition of creative media content by bringing together the best of media, storytelling, talent, data and partnerships. Prior to this role, he was Chief Executive Officer, UM Worldwide in Malaysia, heading up the agency’s full spectrum of marketing and brand related services, media planning, social media management, integrated content creation, eCommerce, data analytics, market research and mobile solutions, while also serving as the founding CEO of data-fuelled creative agency Ensemble Worldwide.
Monica Tailor, formerly Global Director of McCann LIVE, has been elevated to Chief Social Marketing Officer of McCann and McCann Content Studios. Under Tailor’s leadership, McCann LIVE quickly became a crucial part of McCann’s core client offering, weaving brands into culture in authentic and entertaining ways. She helped McCann’s integrated Aldi team become world renowned by creating a brand voice and brand storytelling that maximizes social attention and conversion, best illustrated by Aldi’s “Free Cuthbert” campaign – where a single tweet lampooning its rival became one of Twitter’s biggest viral events and Aldi’s biggest news story ever.
Crystal Malachias has been appointed Global Head of Influencer for McCann Content Studios, having previously served as SVP, Global Growth & Innovation at ITB. An influencer marketing veteran, her experience spans publishing, including roles at Hearst, Say Media as well as helping to launch Refinery29 in the UK.
“We have some of the industry’s very best leading McCann Content Studios. Amit is a content entrepreneur with a proven track record of commercial success. Monica is a pioneer of brand-driven social marketing for some of the world’s most socially impactful brands. Crystal is a trailblazing influencer marketing talent who understands the power of creators to shape culture and advocate for brands. Together, they represent a powerhouse of expertise that will help guide brands to new frontiers of co-creativity,” added Lee.
The launch comes at a time of momentum and accolades for McCann Worldgroup, fresh from being ranked in the top five networks at this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Top awarded work included Mastercard’s “Where to Settle” project which was awarded a coveted Dan Wieden Titanium Lion, a Grand Prix and two Golds, and Microsoft’s “ADLaM,” which won two Grand Prix, one in Design and one in Creative Business Transformation, as well as new business wins that include TJ Maxx in the U.S., Durex in the UK, Centrum in China and Air India, among others.