Mediabrands Publishing To Be Helmed By Ex-BBDOers Mark Himmelsbach and Teddy Lynn
NEW YORK – In an effort to strengthen their capability in real time storytelling, production and content creation on brands’ owned channels, IPG Mediabrands announced the formation of Mediabrands Publishing to be headed by Mark Himmelsbach and Teddy Lynn from BBDO. Both will report directly to Jacki Kelley, CEO, IPG Mediabrands North America and will be based in the New York IPG Mediabrands headquarters.
“Brands have so many amazing stories to tell. Together with Mark, I look forward to helping them craft those narratives and use them to grow and serve their audiences of loyal fans and potential customers”
Together, Himmelsbach and Lynn will helm the new division to help brands define, redefine or cultivate their own media channels and then produce creative assets with which to program them. These owned entities include retail, packaging, events, websites and any digital presence that exists on behalf of the brand itself. They will work with all client teams at each agency within IPG Mediabrands to: build the platforms to host always-on content that sustains interest in the brand; generate the programs that deliver periodic content that has a defined start and stop date and; create pulses – real-time or fast-twitch content that takes advantage of news, business or cultural events.
Teddy Lynn will serve as Chief Creative Officer of Mediabrands Publishing. Known as one of the industry’s best storytellers, Lynn rejoins IPG Mediabrands from BBDO where he was focused on creating original content for clients. The most recent example is @SummerBreak, the successful real-time reality series that is currently playing out across Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube, Instagram. Lynn co-created the series in partnership with AT&T and The Chernin Group.
“The idea of brands acting as publishers as a way to engage their consumers isn’t new, but there are few if any people actually helping them do it. In this new world, where speed and storytelling will win, IPG Mediabrands is delighted to welcome Teddy back – he’s a creative at heart with media experience and Hollywood roots,” said Kelley.
A former producer, Teddy spent the early part of his career in Hollywood working on features, TV shows and music videos. By 25 he had Co-Produced two movies for New Line Cinema including the Oscar nominated Pleasantville and had a multi-year production deal at Sony Pictures. But seeing an opportunity in the converging worlds of advertising and entertainment, he left the entertainment business and became one of the advertising industry’s first branded content executives. He founded Arnold Entertainment in 2005, was the first person at UM to be part of the custom content practice and was most recently BBDO’s first executive focused on creating content for brands. He has overseen dozens of successful content marketing programs for clients such as Microsoft, Schwab, AT&T, Brown Forman and P&G.
“Brands have so many amazing stories to tell. Together with Mark, I look forward to helping them craft those narratives and use them to grow and serve their audiences of loyal fans and potential customers,” stated Lynn.
Mark Himmelsbach will serve as Chief Operating Officer for Mediabrands Publishing. He also joins IPG Mediabrands from BBDO where he led the digital strategy group across North America. He was responsible for inspiring, connecting and extending creative ideas across all media with a focus on digital, social, mobile, and emerging platforms. In his four years at BBDO, he has worked across a variety of brands including AT&T, Visa, Exxon Mobil, GE, and FedEx.
“More than ever, brands need to think strategically about how to get the most out of their own media assets. From my days working with Mark at PHD, I have seen him develop new ways of telling stories across new channels. Both Mark and Teddy have unusual and varied career paths that make them uniquely qualified to bridge the gaps between advertising, entertainment and media and together, they have overseen hundreds of innovative and effective content marketing executions for many of the world’s best marketers. By bringing this real-time creative discipline to our organization, we continue to deliver on our commitment to delivering positive impact to our clients’ bottom line,” said Matt Seiler, Global CEO, IPG Mediabrands.
Before his career path turned towards marketing, Mark created technology strategies for various branches of the US federal government and helped build playgrounds for the nonprofit KaBOOM! He has always been fascinated with the ever-evolving way people use media and technology and decided to help brands take advantage of these new behaviors. Starting in advertising as a strategist at Organic, he went on to be the Director of Emerging Media at PHD Media where he developed ideas for Discovery Channel, HBO, Schwab, and New Balance before joining BBDO.
“Teddy and I believe that there is an incredible amount of unrealized potential in the stories that brands can tell across their own networks and that this should come from the media agency center. We are excited to redefine what brand publishing means by cultivating and connecting these stories not only in the likely places like digital and social media, but also extend them to retail and experiential environments,” said Himmelsbach.
About IPG Mediabrands
Founded by Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) in 2007 to manage all of its global media related assets, today IPG Mediabrands manages and invests $36 billion in global media on the behalf of clients, employs over 7,500 diverse and daring marketing communication specialists worldwide and operates company businesses in more than 127 countries.
A proven entity in helping clients maximize business results through integrated, intelligence-driven marketing strategies, IPG Mediabrands is a global holding company that enhances offering and performance across its network of media agencies including UM, Initiative, BPN, ORION Holdings, and ID Media, and a roster of specialty service agencies including MAGNA GLOBAL, Mediabrands Audience Platform (Ansible, Cadreon, Reprise Media, Spring Creek Group) IPG Media Lab, Ensemble, and Identity.
For more information please visit www.ipgmediabrands.com or follow us @ipgmediabrands.
