BMF strengthens creative, social and effectiveness offering with four new hires

(Pictured L-R: Joe Mallett, Hannah McHard, Alister McCann, Phoebe Carden)

BMF has made four new appointments doubling down on the agency’s creativity and effectiveness and bolstering its content and social capabilities, with Hannah McHard appointed as head of effectiveness, Phoebe Carden as content and social strategist, and Alister McCann and Joe Mallett as senior creatives.

McHard joins BMF following a four-year stint as insights and strategy manager at Australia’s best-rated supermarket ALDI Australia. During her time at ALDI Australia, McHard was part of the team which won the Effie Award for Most Effective Advertiser three years in a row and the B&T Marketing Team of the Year Award. In addition, McHard – who has also held a 14-year position at Kantar – played a key role in helping both ALDI Australia and BMF take home three Ad Campaign of the Year Awards, a Grand Effie Award, and a Spikes Asia Grand Prix. As Head of Effectiveness, McHard will harness data, analytics, and insights, to further BMF’s culture of effectiveness.

Carden has been appointed after working as a content social strategist and writer for recognised brandings including Disney, the ABC, Optus, Universal Sony, and NSW Health. In her new position, Carden will work in a hybrid role with both BMF and its content production arm Bantam, which has worked with clients including ALDI Australia, MONA, TAL, Gumtree, RMIT University, and UN Women. With the recent wins of Lounge Lovers and George Weston Foods’ social account, Carden will drive both Bantam’s and BMF’s social capabilities and identify new opportunities to inform brand and content strategy, working across key clients.

Previously, Mallet spent six years at Lucky Generals London. Mallet cut his teeth at Mother London and has worked on world-class clients including, PlayStation, Hostelworld, the co-op supermarket, and most recently Amazon’s Super Bowl commercial featuring Scarlett Johansson. Mallet’s work has been recognised at D&AD, British Arrows, New York Festival, and Kinsale Sharks.

McCann has worked at agencies including AnalogFolk, CX Lavender, The Works, M&C Saatchi, and The Green House on brands including Westfield Australia, Westpac, CommBank, McDonalds, Optus, Woolworths, Curtin University, Coke Zero and Coors Beer. Most recently, McCann scored a Gold APAC Effie for his work on Hyundai’s 4-second reviews while also bagging the Most Effective Campaign for Return-on-Investment at the AIM Awards for Rekorderlig Cider’s Rekorder-Land.

Says Alex Derwin, chief creative officer at BMF Australia: “Alister and Joe have only just got through the door and they’re already making a big impact, not only on our client’s business but on the culture of collaboration and kindness that BMF is so proud of. With their talent and experience in non-traditional thinking, both here and overseas, they’re going to do great things and we’re all very happy they’ve decided to call BMF home.”

Says Christina Aventi, chief strategy officer at BMF: “We’re thrilled to have Phoebe and Hannah join our motley crew of planners. Both are believers in creativity and effectiveness in equal measure and will help us navigate the metrics that matter in a world of data overload. Phoebe will be working closely with Irina, Executive Director, Digital and Direct Strategy across our clients and our content unit Bantam. Hannah will be working across ALDI and government and any client that expresses an interest in unlocking even greater effectiveness in their communications (like everyone?). In a tight talent market, we feel really lucky to have these two dynamos join us.”