Francis Coady has launched Grand Pacific Entertainment & Advisory, just over a year after exiting Havas Media Group as chief marketing and content officer.
Coady’s new venture is a marcomms advisory and content creation company focused on using entertainment and storytelling in the advertising and communications industry to connect brands to audiences.
“I created this company to truly take hold of the transformative power of entertainment. Every company has meaningful stories that deserve to be showcased,” Coady said.
“Our deep expertise lies in discovering these unique narratives and turning them into entertaining experiences that engage audiences on an emotional level.”
The advisory side of the business will focus on a core series of services including strategic insights and market intelligence, full-service commercial advertising, branded content creation, plus podcast and broadcast production.
Meanwhile, the entertainment division will develop and fund original scripted dramas, documentaries, comedies, music, and podcasts, and aim to forge powerful creative partnerships locally and worldwide, with the scripted slate being represented by global entertainment group William Morris Endeavour (WME) out of London.
Coady said the company’s core philosophy is the belief that every interaction with a business is an opportunity to deepen connections and that businesses can transform by building consistent, positive, and purposeful entertainment brand moments.
In the past, Coady has managed acts like Thirsty Merc (Warner/Atlantic) and Hi-5. He also founded and executive produced the Bondi Short Film Festival for 13 years, and was general manager at Merchantwise Group, working with major film studios to create large-scale content partnerships.
Plus, he launched and oversaw Havas Sports & Entertainment group (Havas/Vivendi), where he created and executive produced the multi award-winning content series “THE LONG ROAD,” starring Guy Sebastian and Amy Shark, which amassed millions of views, along with leading national brands including Gillette, Avis Budget Group, Red Bull, Kayo, and Destination NSW.
In 2021, Coady became chief marketing and content officer at Havas Media Network in Australia, overseeing all content and communications while managing key client relationships. Coady said his new business has already started working with a number of clients.
“Grand Pacific Entertainment & Advisory has hit the ground, and stage for that matter, running with fantastic uptake from clients including Veterans Film Foundation, Komo Technologies, GolfSpace Australia, and Chisel who have understood and greatly benefited from the power of unlocking the principles of entertainment to emotionally connect with their audiences,” he added.
“I can’t wait to share some of the work we are doing.”
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Top image: Francis Coady