Chieftain and Creata join forces to create new company Chieftain Communications Australia

Chieftain and Creata have joined forces to create a new company, ‘Chieftain Communications Australia’.

The agency is a joint venture by the founders of both companies, which will see Chieftain become part of the independent Creata global network. Operations of the new company commenced this week, with Chieftain having moved into Creata’s Sydney office.

The founders of Chieftain and Creata first met over a decade ago, with their agencies having collaborated on a number of projects over the years.

Says Steve Fontanot (left), Chieftain CEO: “Over the last six years Chieftain has created some of the best experiential campaigns in APAC. Working with a partner that is a global leader in retail, promotion, digital, insights and licensing puts us in a position to complete the path-to-purchase for our clients.”

Originally founded in Sydney, Creata recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. The company has grown to 15 offices globally, including the US, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Creata’s client list includes McDonald’s, Kellogg’s, Nestle, Activision and more.

Says Charles Rallings (right), chief digital officer and GM: “We use the power of play to create positive connections between people and brands. The partnership with Chieftain is a natural extension to our existing offering. We look forward to building on the strong reputation that Chieftain has achieved, and seeing the company experience significant growth.”

The inclusion of ‘Australia’ to Chieftain’s updated company name is a clear indicator of the agency’s international ambitions.

Fontanot will lead the company as CEO & creative director, and additionally as a member of the Board. Other board members include Creata group chairman of the Board, Trevor Roy and Charles Rallings.

Rallings and Fontanot previously worked together during their days at DDB, where Rallings was COO and Fontanot created the company’s experiential offering.