Whisk Media Group has appointed former Taste magazine managing editor Daniela Bertollo to the role of content and food director with responsibility for overseeing the development of specialist content creation for food and cooking brands, amplified on owned channels and via myfoodbook.com.au.
The appointment follows the recent appointment of former NewsLifeMedia digital art director David Fairs to the role of creative director.
Bertollo is an experienced magazine and cookbook publishing professional with more than 18 years’ experience in food publishing. She played a lead role on the launch of Taste.com.au magazine as it transitioned from Australian Good Taste in 2012 and launched the monthly taste.com.au cookbook series. Other career highlights include publishing manager at Pacific Magazines and managing editor, food at Murdoch Books and chief sub-editor at Australian Gourmet Traveller, as well as being part of the launch team of Delicious magazine.
Carolyn Brasher, founder of Whisk Media Group and www.myfoodbook.com.au, says the appointment is another key strategic investment in the evolution of the business that provides a true content marketing offer within the food and cooking sector.
“Myfoodbook.com.au provides us with deep consumer insights that are incredibly valuable to brands. Combined with Dani’s food expertise and editorial approach we will be once again elevating our innovation in content development and publishing approach,” said Brasher.
“Our clients can now tap into one of the industry’s best operators who will not only set the strategy for content-driven concepts but will also oversee the next phase of the myfoodbook consumer products, including the Foodbook cookbook series.”
“We have been collaborating with a number of leading food companies and trusted brands since our launch five years ago. The term ‘content marketing’ was then neither widely used or understood by the media industry, with most publishing businesses relying on advertising to support websites and magazines.”
Myfoodbook has rejected programmatic and display advertising that often competes with consumers’ attention. The approach to engage consumers with branded content has been built on an ‘audience first’ approach and developing a model that easily supports the opportunity to showcase cooking ideas that genuinely support the editorial angle. The approach to working with brands in this way appealed to Ms Bertollo’s interest in the evolution of publishing at Whisk Media Group.
“Whisk Media Group has created a very appealing offer for cooking and food brands. The combination of leading the content strategy and then bringing these ideas to life in the role of Food Director is pretty much my dream job,” said Bertollo.
“It’s an exciting time to be joining the business as a member of the leadership team and apply my knowledge of the best parts of publishing to help shape a number of new initiatives the business has planned.”
One of the larger projects Bertollo will manage includes subscriber-exclusive printed cookbooks, which are distributed to consumers who have participated in market research delivering targeted insights to featured brand partners.
Whisk Media Group is planning further investment in key personnel, technology and product solutions with a view to closing the loop in the ‘path to purchase’ with retailers and the release of new ecommerce subscriber exclusives.
