DDB Group Melbourne has promoted head of planning Matt Pearce to the role of chief strategy officer.
He joined the Melbourne agency in 2021 and led strategy across the DDB, Mango and Tribal teams bringing his unique combination of understanding behaviour, insight and impactful creative strategy. Drawing on his background of creating legendary campaigns at the height of Clemenger BBDO’s success, such as ‘Meet Graham’ and ‘Hungerithm’, as well as his experience in research having founded fifty5five in Melbourne.
Pearce has developed the DDB Group Melbourne strategy department and the philosophy of ‘strategy as an outdoor sport’ by getting the entire strategy team into people’s homes and out in the field to uncover the insights that has led to impactful work, such as Coles’ ‘Great Lengths’ and Movember’s ‘The Mo is Calling’.
He has also been part of client wins including Asahi CUB, Acciona, Movember, Mr Chen’s, Dabble, Funlabs, Agrifutures, Made by Dyslexia, and Our Watch. Pearce was also integral in creating Smith St. – DDB and OMD’s best-of-Omnicom, bespoke Coles agency – while also building its strategic capability across brand and marketing strategy, media, digital and CX.
“Matt is a world class leader who has helped refound DDB Group Melbourne,” Mike Napolitano, DDB Group Melbourne CEO, said. “He’s a great strategic mind and with his leadership we’ll continue to help grow the fortunes of our clients and their brands.
“Internally I could not ask for a better partner, and I know the rest of our leadership group and broader team value Matt’s unwavering contribution to not just our collective team success but also the individual focus he gives everyone that is in his orbit. Hands down Pearcey is the best creatively strategic mind I’ve ever worked with.”
Psembi Kinstan, Pearce’s creative partner and chief creative officer of DDB Melbourne Group, said of the promotion: “There’s not one strategist in the business that’s sharper than Matt. He is entirely unique in his ability to distill the complex and simplify client problems and opportunities. In a sea of strategy jargon and bullshit, Matt is a weapon, loved by clients and creatives in equal measure.”
Pearce said of his new role: “We’ve built something great at DDB Melbourne, with a truly unique approach to insight-led creative strategy, and I can’t wait to keep up the momentum.”
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Top image: Matt Pearce