Location marketing specialist Blis has announced the appointment of Fran Vavallo and Claudia Loritisch to its team in Melbourne.

As sales head for Victoria, Vavallo is tasked with further elevating Blis’ brand presence in Melbourne and championing quality location marketing campaigns to local agencies and advertisers. She will also be responsible for continuing to grow Blis’ Victorian team over the coming months to ensure the company provides an ample coverage of location specialists in the state.

Vavallo joins Blis from a five-year stint at Mamamia, where she most recently held the role of state sales director. Prior to Mamamia, Vavallo worked across numerous GSM roles in Sydney and Melbourne with Southern Cross Austereo.

Loritsch takes up the role of account manager at Blis after working at Carsguide in digital sales. She will form a key part of Blis’ market-facing activity, working alongside the sales team to build and maintain agency relationships and deliver effective campaigns.

Blis Australia managing director Nick Ballard said the two hires are the first stage in the company’s plan to further establish Melbourne as a growth market.

“We have big plans to grow in Victoria and we’re excited to be expanding our local team to that end,” he said.

“Fran is a highly-regarded and much-liked operator within Melbourne’s vibrant media landscape, and we’re delighted to have her fighting our corner. I look forward to working with her and watching our Melbourne presence grow under her leadership.

“Claudia also comes well-recommended as a savvy and effective account service professional, so between her and Fran, I’d say we’ve secured a great team to take us forward in Victoria. All we need now is another sales person, whom we’re recruiting for.”

Vavallo said she’s looking forward to promoting the merits of location marketing campaigns to a wider audience of Melbourne agency and brand professionals.

“Blis has an incredibly strong story to tell in Melbourne. It’s at the forefront of one of media’s most exciting fields, and leads the market in innovation and transparency,” she said.

“I’ve been lucky in my career to work with some amazing companies – SCA, the wonderful team at Mamamia, and now Blis, one of the most forthright and passionate names in martech.

“Location marketing isn’t just about proximity targeting – it’s about using location data to build audience groups, and Blis are pioneers. With a great brand story and a fun, passionate team, I couldn’t be happier to join the business.”