Whybin\TBWA joins forces with Starseed to expand PR division; launches new-look ELEVEN
Whybin\TBWA is expanding its services by restructuring its existing PR division with the integration of the Starseed agency.
Whybin\TBWA will be welcoming Starseed co-founders Karen Maurice-O’Leary and Angelina Farry as group heads, bringing world class strategic and creative skills to the team. To emphasise the expanded capabilities and new direction, it will be rebranded as ELEVEN.
Says Todd McLeay, chief executive officer, Whybin\TBWA: “Karen and Angelina bring a unique combination of award-winning creative talents as well as industry-leading earned and social media skills to our existing team. The integration of Starseed with our current team’s expertise will provide clients with a complete, true full-service offering that can touch all parts of their business from corporate communications to risk management, digital, social and more.
“The line between public relations, digital marketing and other parts of the communications mix are becoming increasingly blurred and the cornerstone of any comprehensive communications strategy is increasingly becoming content creation in one form or another. When you get the right content channeled through the right media, it’s a magical thing.”
Maurice-O’Leary will take up the role as ELEVEN’s creative director andFarry as managing director. Group account director Rebecca Hyndman, account director Louise Cargo and account manager Bayley Kite will be joined by Starseed’s Juno Morgan, Heidi Thompson, Priya Ratan and Kirsty Hitchcock.
Says Farry: “We are looking forward to joining forces with the talented team at Whybin\TBWA and drawing on the global resource of PR powerhouse Fleishman Hillard, with whom ELEVEN is aligned.”
Maurice-O’Leary, previously ranked number 2 top creative in the Asia Pacific region by Campaign Brief, originally started her creative career at Whybin\TBWA under executive creative director Andy Blood and is looking forward to returning to 11 Mayoral Drive as creative director of ELEVEN.
Says Maurice-O’Leary: “Our whole team is ready to plug in and hit the ground running. Being in the same building as the country’s leading digital offering, TBWA’s Digital Arts Network (DAN) is hugely exciting. The media landscape is changing at hyper-speed with new opportunities presenting themselves daily. Whybin\TBWA has some very exciting plans in the pipeline that we look forward to being a part of in the coming months.”
ELEVEN will be operating from the Whybin\TBWA office from 8th of June 2015.
13 Comments
ELEVEN girls, any boys?
Bangs is that you?! You’re back!
Ah just missed ya
Oh Todd, how could you! And you can’t leave.
They need more PR people to keep spinning the story that not everyone is trying to jump ship, even the CEO.
Bangs!
Scott Whybin should buy Barnes Catmur; add some proven top level (CEO and ECD) talent and reignite the creative fire.
Only a team like Daniel and PAul could replace a duo like Waldo and Andy.
@ An idea: I think you might find Catmur has an association with Leo Burnett. It’s in the Company Register.
I can’t see Daniel and Paul kowtowing to Scott Whybin, not for any sum. Well, a bloody hefty sum maybe.
I guess that’s why an ‘ECD job with a major Auckland agency’ has been advertised with a couple of places around town and in Sydney (and other cities, I can only guess) for the past couple of months.
I haven’t a clue who’s left at TBWA, probably a senior team and some mid-weights/jnrs left over from the Talbot era. But the place needs a drastic shake up, it hasn’t done anything of real weight for a couple of years – other than a minor press ad that did remarkably well at D&AD.
In truth, what has TBWA got to offer? They’re in the god-awful situation of having one very very large client and nothing else. In terms of business, this is a precarious and dangerous position. Taking any creative job there is a risk. Any work that might be done on their one very large client would be dictated to by Australia/Scott Whybin.
So where’s the opportunity? Shopper marketing?
But, all that aside, well done to the good people at Starseed. They come highly recommended.
Pretty sure Dave King’s a kung fu master, isn’t he?
http://tmblr.co/Zdsfak1mG43bC
Thank you JR. That’s awesome. And oh so flattering. Cheers
I know a recruiter – you where spot on, but should have stopped with “I haven’t a clue”