New IKON Sydney Group creates powerful full service offering; responds to market demand

As part of its broad-reaching strategic review STW Group is creating a powerful new full-service agency, anchored by its media business IKON Sydney, in response to market demand.

The new IKON Group Sydney model sees the media planning and buying function sitting squarely next to and working hand-in-hand with creative and production, data and digital, sales promotion, shopper marketing and experiential capabilities. STW’s Moon and Shift businesses will join the business as part of the new model, creating the new IKON Sydney Group.

STW Group CEO Michael Connaghan (pictured) said existing IKON Sydney clients and potential new business targets had shown strong interest in the new model and the potential results it could bring.

Says Connaghan: “The market has clearly indicated to us that a full-service offering is an attractive proposition considering the massive structural change in our industry and current business climate.

“As a result, we’ve created a model that will see all our people in the IKON Sydney Group  – be they media or creative, data or digital, working together with the same objective in mind; outstanding results for the clients.  It makes sense – timelines will be streamlined, speed to market will be increased greatly. With media, creative, digital, social and content production all sitting in the one team, working together, creative excellence should also be increased exponentially.”

IKON Sydney managing partner Pat Crowley said the creation of the full-service capability was “the most exciting thing to happen to the IKON business in its 16-year history.”

Continues Crowley: “Over the past decade we have seen rapid change and a marketing world that has become increasingly complex.  Clients want simplicity in this environment.  The response to the full-service media model has been incredibly positive, and teamed with our client-focused approach, we believe IKON is at the most exciting juncture in its business history.”

As part of the new model’s structure in Sydney, both STW Group CEO Mike Connaghan and STW chief strategy officer Rose Herceg will sit on the new IKON Sydney Group management board, along with senior IKON Sydney staffers Pat Crowley (managing partner), John Halpin (head of strategy), Rob Pardini (chief knowledge officer), Bryan Magee (chief investment officer), Natalie Musico (head of content and production) and Rob Martin-Murphy (executive creative director) who have been charged with leading the day to day management of the new one-stop full service agency.

Connaghan said another benefit of the new Sydney model has been IKON’s ability to act as a powerful magnet for the country’s best talent, as it looks to expand its market offering even further.

Says Connaghan: “We are looking to build a serious, modern-day fit-for-purpose, content driven newsroom plus a range of other capabilities required by modern day marketers to tackle the complex issues facing brands.

“To service this, we have been inundated with CVs from Australia’s best thinkers, writers, producers, media planners, social media and digital experts – all of whom want to work at a place where the effort is focused on doing great work.”

The IKON Sydney Group will operate from STW’s Kent St campus.