Mike Deane and Tim Russell launch marketing consultancy
Former heads of strategy and innovation at Mediacom Mike Deane and Tim Russel have teamed up to launch Saintsmiths – a consultancy focused on bringing a coherent strategy to marketing and communications.
Deane is a marketing expert who has been at MediaCom for nearly a decade, most recently as Chief Strategy Officer. Russell also has a wealth of experience in marketing and communications strategy under his belt. Previously a Group Director for Digital Strategy & Innovation at MediaCom, Russel was most recently a Marketing Consultant for strategy, planning and digital at marketing agency Triangle24.
The pair’s new Sydney-based firm Saintsmiths offers a variety of marketing services, which includes advisory, media planning, insights, workshop facilitation, and training. The firm also offers media buying and content integration services, which involves leveraging a variety of platforms for online messaging.
However, Saintsmiths’ unique proposition extends beyond its services, to its basic principles, said the co-founders. Deane and Russell stress that the present marketing landscape has lost focus in a way, lacking the clarity required to drive home a communications strategy. “In lieu of better guidance – clients are panic-buying ‘marketing strategy’ from sales people,” said Deane.
Saintsmiths has been established to right this scenario. Russell pointed out that businesses now have vast repositories of consumer data and insight with which to design their marketing strategy, but need support with organising this into a streamlined approach. Once the right formula is reached, according to Russell, it can be effective under any marketing conditions.
This is particularly true at present, when most businesses are having to make significant changes. A recent study from global business consulting and technology firm Accenture pointed out that the manner in which brands behave during the Covid-19 crisis could build long-term trust and loyalty that extends into the future. It could well go the other way around as well, depending on the effectiveness of the marketing strategy.
Saintsmiths is looking to support businesses at this crucial time. “While launching in the middle of a pandemic was not in the original script, the Saintsmiths offering is proving invaluable to clients facing tough decisions,” said Russell.
Australians are changing their lifestyles, priorities and consumption patterns, and Saintsmiths will be looking to navigate this challenging scenario. The firm has already worked with high profile clients such as Nestlé in Australia and Lion Nathan in New Zealand, with the latter applauding Saintsmiths’ focused offerings and comprehensive approach.