MediaCom Beyond Advertising Launches in the U.S.

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Jul 17, 2012) - MediaCom, one of the world's largest media services agencies, has announced the U.S. launch of MediaCom Beyond Advertising, a creative group dedicated to producing meaningful engagement between brands and consumers. 

Founded on deep insights into consumer behavior and usage of digital channels, MediaCom Beyond Advertising (MBA) has already created innovative marketing platforms for companies in Australia, EMEA and Canada, some of which combine video-based storytelling with new, emerging technologies. Initial work in the U.S. includes the Untitled Jersey City Project, an on-air partnership with FX that promoted Audi in a series of television episodes designed to feel like fragments of a real show, and a presenting sponsorship of the upcoming 25^th anniversary of Discovery's SHARK WEEK on behalf of Volkswagen that promises ideas, technologies and viewer experiences never seen before.

"Consumers are harder to reach than ever, and the old 'push' model of advertising is morphing into more of a conversation, or shared experience, between brands and their customers," said Sasha Savic, CEO of MediaCom USA. "Attention is the new currency for brands. Clients like ConAgra, Volkswagen, Shell and Audi are leveraging a more creative, idea-driven approach to capture that attention in a way that attracts new customers and strengthens customer loyalty."

MBA's research reveals that consumers spend 50% of their time online consuming content, and 47% of this audience will share these interactions with members of their social networks. With consumers engaging with content from an average of 30 brands each month, MBA is crafting and curating brand stories with which consumers consciously choose to engage, thereby creating a more positive, impactful and lasting bond between client and customer. 

MBA will be led in the U.S. by Sloan Broderick and Adam Pincus. Broderick, Director of MBA Innovation, has been head of digital and innovation at MediaCom USA for the past four years and Pincus, Director of MBA Ideas, ran original programming, on-air and new media at Sundance Channel prior to joining MediaCom in 2007 as director of content.

The MBA team will work with clients from MediaCom's New York, Chicago and Los Angeles offices.

About MediaCom

MediaCom is one of the world's largest Media Communication Specialists, with billings exceeding US$23 billion (Source: RECMA) and 116 offices in 89 countries around the globe. Our "People first, better results" philosophy drives our strategy and reflects our belief that putting People -- employees, clients and consumers -- at the core of our business leads to optimum business results. The MediaCom family of companies includes such leaders in their fields as: MediaCom Interaction, our global digital and interactive marketing agency, with future-forward proprietary technology that works to grow clients' businesses; MediaCom Direct, our direct response experts, creating close, measured connections with consumers; MediaCom Entertainment & Sports Partnerships (ESP), our strategic consultancy specializing in helping brands engage consumers through their passion points; and MediaCom Business Science, focused on helping clients achieve maximum sales return. MediaCom Worldwide is a member of WPP, the world's largest marketing communications services group, and is a part of GroupM, WPP's media agency group, which is the largest worldwide. For more information, visit www.mediacom.com.