One of digital advertising's most respected minds has recently been poached by M&C Saatchi Sydney for a newly created role. Ben Cooper makes the move from The Monkeys (formerly 'Three Drunk Monkeys') to undertake the role of 'Group Innovation Director', a role that will see him heading innovation across all of the M&C Saatchi Group's 10 businesses. He'll work alongside ECD Ben Welsh and CEO Jaimes Leggett, leading all of the agencies social and mobile content. The appointment follows the recent departure of M&C social strategy director Tiphereth Gloria, who was at the agency on a six-month contract. This is just the latest recent addition to their ranks for M&C, who lost the prestigious David Jones account to Whybin/TBWA Sydney last year and attempted to tip the scales back in their favour by bringing in Chiquita King from Leo Burnett, Marc van den Berg from Ogilvy & Mather and Justin Graham from Droga5.
Cooper will lead all of the agencies social and mobile content
Prior to his new role, Cooper had spent over four years working as the digital director for The Monkeys (and creator of their digital department) on various projects including Ikea's 'Kippbok' iPad App, the 'Map My Summer' experiment for YouTube and Ice Break's 'Add a Motor to it' campaign. He managed to help drive The Monkeys to prolific digital success, with the agency receiving accolades at the Cannes, Spikes, B&T and AdNews awards amongst others. Prior to that he spent just over a year as partner and senior digital strategist at The Population after 3 years as a digital strategist at Host. He also leads the Australian arm of the Creative Social forum, tutors digital marketing at ADMA and has curated digital training sessions at the APG, ADMA and Ad:Tech.
Cooper (who is originally from the UK) issued a statement expressing how he believes the move finds him “At the cusp of a big future” at his new agency. He says the “Strong team, aligned ambition and bold clients,” were what drove him towards M&C Saatchi, but what really sealed the deal and made everything 'click' was the “Incredible amount of thought M&C Saatchi have put into where it's heading.” And in which direction is it heading? A digital one of course, a field in which Cooper has a vast well of experience to draw from.
M&C Saatchi CEO Jaimes Leggett is “Thrilled” to have Ben joining the agency and has expressed his boundless respect for the former Monkey
Jaimes Leggett is “Thrilled” to have Ben joining the agency and has expressed his boundless respect for the former Monkey, whom he rates as “World Class,” and an “Equal parts digital strategist, digital creative and technologist,” who he feels brings a “Stellar skill set, experience and leadership” to the table that makes him “Unique” to the digital advertising market. He adds finally that as well as being a world-class ad man, Cooper is “A pretty good bloke too,” which certainly helps.
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance copywriter from the UK who was once part of an alternative rock group called 'Three Drunk Monkeys'. There were four of us mind.
