DDB has re-named its digital Tribal unit to Tribal Worldwide Sydney and hired AKQA's former global Nissan lead Phil Dowgierd to head up the New South Wales operation. DDB Sydney’s deputy ECD, Darwin Tomlinson, becomes ECD at what the Omnicom-owned group sees as a "tech-led pure play" where speed of development from business problem to working prototype solution is critical.
At AKQA (UK) Dowgierd managed a team of 60 delivering global platform development, global social activity and mobile work for the Japanese automaker.
“Brands have evolved from something that you see to something that you experience," said Dowgierd. "I see Tribal Worldwide Sydney’s vision being to create global experiences that are based on the interface of technology and creativity that recognises the need for fundamental business change."
"The world has gotten faster – businesses need to respond quicker - consumers are driving the change. Digital is more effective than any other marketing platform in enabling an acute response.”
DDB Group Australia CEO, Chris Brown, said he and Dowgierd, who had stints in London at Grand Union, Fallon and M&C Saatchi across clients including Skoda, Sainsbury's, BBC, Sky and Foster's lager, went back "many years".
"He comes to us with a wealth of experience in both specialist digital and creative agencies. He is an outstanding talent and has been involved in numerous high profile and award winning campaigns."
Brown said that the move was about "creating a best in class specialist agency with technology and experience design at its core."
Brown cited TrackMyMacca's as the stand out example of recent digital work at the group, and credited Worldwide Sydney's new ECD Darwin Tomlinson as the man steering it. "As well as being a founder member of the group's innovation lab, Shaper ... he is the perfect talent to work alongside Phil."
Tomlinson said the timing was right for the repositioning.
"Brands are at a crucial time in the development of their digital offering, as the distinction between brand and operational platform continues to blur. The digital spectrum is much wider than what to date has been coined ‘digital marketing,’ and it will be my focus to expand our offering across that spectrum.”
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