Brand activation agency Curious Nation has expanded its account management team across ANZ with three new hires as it accelerates investment in shopper marketing.
The appointments come as Curious Nation launched ‘Curious Shopper Accelerator’, an insights and capability training program designed to close the gap between brand thinking and genuine shopper commercial instinct.
Simeon Trew and Gemma O’Kelly have joined as account directors, shopper; while Owen Cseh has been appointed junior account manager, shopper.
Trew joined Curious Nation in a permanent role after working with the agency on a project basis since February. Trew will be based in Auckland and previously worked with brands including DB Breweries and Sanitarium as account director at Raydar, a New Zealand based strategic and creative shopper marketing agency.
Based at Curious Nation’s Melbourne office, O’Kelly will lead shopper and retail marketing delivery. She brings more than eight years’ experience from UK retail marketing and shopper agency, Live & Breathe, where she worked on the supermarket giant Morrisons account.
Cseh has joined from Clemenger Field Marketing, adding field marketing experience to the team.
“With increased investment flowing into the channel and growing demand for more accountable, commercially-driven work, the appointments of Gemma, Sim and Owen, along with the launch of the Shopper Accelerator, signals our intent to further elevate the role and impact of shopper marketing across Australasia,” said Curious Nation co-founder and head of strategy Gareth Brock.
“Clients come to us because they want something different. They’re not looking for the same old shopper promotions but want ideas that genuinely cut through and drive commercial impact, such as our recent ‘Mountain Dew Flavour Hunt’ activation that launched two new flavours by turning discovery into a game. Like everything at Curious Nation, these appointments are about challenging the status quo and pushing our Curious Thinking framework further.”
