Renowned creative and content creator, Michael Stanford, has been appointed managing director of Ensemble, IPG Mediabrands’ creative, content marketing and experiential business.
Announcing Stanford’s appointment, Ensemble’s newly arrived CEO Melissa Fein is beginning to reveal a specific business focus for Mediabrands’ Ensemble, with an emphasis on integrated solutions for clients that are underpinned by expertise across content, partnerships, and experiences.
Fein was appointed to lead Ensemble in February this year, having previously been a key leader in developing strategy and implementation of network brand solutions for clients across the entire MCN portfolio including Ten and Foxtel.
“For many clients there is a need for integrated brand communications that fits between the services available from creative and media agencies, even in their newly flexible structures these days,” said Fein.
“Michael is highly experienced and successful in cracking the connection code to consumers through creative and relevant content development, supported by digital and social integration. He will help lead Ensemble’s higher levels of skills in content marketing and integrated creative solutions.”
In Stanford’s 25-year career in advertising and media he has been the executive creative director of some of Australia’s largest and most high profile creative agencies, including Publicis Mojo, George Patterson Y&R and McCann Erickson.
In 2011 he joined Network Ten to develop dedicated client solutions built on strategic and creative content creation, digital and social integration. Showcase work included Optus ‘Your Shark Tank’, Captain Risky in ‘I’m a celeb’ and he was co-writer on the breakthrough ‘Modern Family Toyota Kluger’ content series, which set the benchmark for integration in a US format.
Fein said that into the future Ensemble would deepen its collaboration with Mediabrands’ two main media agencies, UM and Initiative, but also specifically with mobile solutions agency Mnet, social media agency Society, search specialist business Reprise, as well as research data specialist business Anomaly.
Ensemble Australia has a staff of about 50 and offices in Sydney and Melbourne.
