Magazine publisher Pacific has launched a content and marketing agency headed up by ex-Saatchi & Saatchi CEO Simone Bartley and Emotive ECD Andrew Cameron.
The new agency is called Eve and delivers “audience-inspired branded content” that aims to captivate people throughout the customer journey.
The publishing house, which quietly changed its name from Pacific Magazine to now just 'Pacific', says the move is in response to growing demand from marketers for content and signals an expansion in its business offering “beyond media capability”, towards a more complete media, creative and marketing service.
Pacific, which is owned by Seven West Media, publishes magazines such as That's Life!, Girlfriend and Who.
Former Saatchi & Saatchi CEO Bartley, who is also a non-executive director of adland sports startup PlayersVoice, said the agency wants to grow brands at the speed of culture.
“It will do this by creating meaningful connections through engaging branded content, experiences, events and consulting services,” Bartley says.
“This will be achieved through the simple and powerful formula of data + insights + ideas, all delivered at scale.”
Bartley said the line between brands, agencies and media owners has been blurred as demand for content for brands surges.
“We saw the opportunity to lead with a true marketing-based, audience and branded content offering that ranges from consulting to campaign level solutions,” she said.
AdNews understands there's about 15 people at Eve, which is wholly owned by Pacific, with numbers expected to swell by the end of the year.
According to the Content Marketing Institute, currently 23% of marketing budgets in Australia are allocated to content, while 36% of marketers forecast an increase over the next year.
Eve will have access to Pacific's insights team, which is led by head of insights and strategy Rebecca Alexander-Head and cultural insights manager Malcolm Miller.
Cameron comes over from branded content agency Emotive, where he has been since 2016. He's also worked at Foxtel and creative agency Now We Collide.
“The merging of brands and culture continues, and our team of multi-platform creatives understand the significance of using genuine insights to create entertainment-led, culturally relevant advertising as a value exchange for our audience’s time spent engaging with brands,” Cameron says.
Pacific CEO Gereurd Roberts said the new agency allows it to provide more solutions for brands.
“While there are publishers that have in-house content solutions, creative is often an add-on to the media buy,” Roberts said.
“We believe there is a bigger need and opportunity for a premium content and marketing offering that brings together strategy, ideas and marketing capability with audience intel and content DNA. This is Eve’s clear point of difference.”
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