MBCS appoints Poem co-founder Matt Holmes as Head of Creative Strategy and Ideation

MBCS, the full-service creative arm of IPG Mediabrands, has appointed Poem co-founder Matt Holmes as Head of Creative Strategy and Ideation as the agency unveils a refreshed approach, aimed at helping brands stand out with ideas that reach far beyond paid media, driving talkability, cultural relevance, and real-world impact.

Holmes joins MBCS to lead creative strategy and ideation across content, activations, influencer, experiential and partnerships – with a clear brief to bring media and creative thinking closer together from the outset.

A well-known creative leader and co-founder of Poem, Holmes brings over 20 years’ experience across the UK and Australia, specialising in earned-first thinking, integrated brand campaigns and storytelling that lives beyond traditional media channels.

Says Harry Preston, Managing Director of MBCS: “Matt brings a way of thinking that benefits a media-born creative business enormously, his modus operandi is creative thinking grounded in influence, storytelling and cultural impact, rather than just channels.

“Matt’s earned first approach, passion for integrated ideas and ways of working, along with his experience of running his own agency, will help bring paid and earned together to create ideas that result in an unfair share of attention for our clients. We’re incredibly excited to have him on board.”

Holmes’ appointment comes as MBCS evolves its approach to be more integrated, agile and media-led agency, with a renewed focus on ideas that earn attention, ladder back to media strategy and drive real-world results.

Adds Preston: “In a cluttered market, brands are crying out for ideas that stand out and connect. We’re not here to just make content – we’re here to create work that resonates, travels, and earns its place in culture. This new structure helps us do just that.”

Says Holmes: “Over the last 20yrs in the UK and Australia I’ve been fortunate enough to work on some huge global brands, award-winning integrated brand campaigns, and at some best-in-class PR agencies championing putting earned thinking at the beginning of the creative process.

“The truth is most of the work was briefed in silo, or at best, at the end of the creative and strategy development and this limited the opportunity to maximise ROI by baking earned into the concept. Media budgets were already allocated so any great earned idea was rarely supported via significantly paid social or innovative media.

“This role is an incredibly exciting (and already fascinating) opportunity to be taking paid, earned and owned thinking and coming at it from the media side. To already have a seat at the C-suite table on several big brand briefs with the respective creative and media agencies is enabling MBCS to add real value across our specialisms of creative strategy, activations, content, partnerships, promotions and influencer. I can’t wait for our clients to reap the benefits of our new approach.”

MBCS’ creative leadership team has been further strengthened with the recent promotions of Andrea Bohorquez and Jack Bavin, to the roles of Head of Clients, Sydney and Head of Clients, Melbourne respectively.

Says Preston: “Andrea and Jack have been instrumental to our recent success and collectively they add huge value, helping us deliver unified thinking across strategy, creative and execution across our client portfolio.”

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