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Dentsu's MKTG Sports and Entertainment has today announced a strategic enhancement of its service offerings which include launching a specialised PR and Talent Marketing division; significant investment in expanding its Creative Services group; and a centralised approach to its brand and rights holder servicing with increased production capabilities and a strengthened in-stadium sports presentation team.

The agency also announced the appointment of Rachael Sharratt as Head of Client Services and Steve Whately as Head of Business Solutions, both new roles at the agency.

Matt Connell, APAC MD of MKTG Sports and Entertainment notes "with the full support of our global network and the most talented team we've assembled to date across Australia and New Zealand, I'm super confident that this next phase of our business will bring us our best years yet.

“Our strengthened and our new offerings, combined with a refreshed organisation design that puts our customers at the centre of what we do, will create new and exciting value for our clients, partners and our people."

The PR and Talent Marketing team will be led by American PR veteran Stephanie Rudnick, who brings a wealth of expertise to the Australian market. A masterful storyteller and connector, she has nurtured the personal brands of A-list athletes, sports leagues, renowned recording artists, and world-leading brands. Her roles as the Head of PR for Angel City Football Club in LA, recently named the world’s most valuable women's sports team, and leading the PR for the launch of the US spring gridiron league, the XFL, provides a unique set of skills working with teams, athletes, rights holders, and brands at every level.

Connell adds "Our Sports PR offering, led by Steph Rudnick, is poised to redefine how brands connect with their audiences. Steph's understanding of our market, in just her three years living here, and her vast network will be of great benefit to our current clients as well as teams, athletes, rights holders and brands across the region.”

In other moves, Creative Director Ross Allen will lead the Creative Services offering within the Integrated Marketing Services team overseen by GM Jarrad Provis. Josh Hall also joins this team as Art Director.

Briana Doyle has been elevated to General Manager to lead the transformation of a centralised servicing and delivery unit, the Partnerships and Events team. The team is a fusion of existing brand consulting services and its award-winning events, hospitality and experiences team.

The agency also has enhanced its sports presentation offering and elevated Monique Horan (above) to lead the charge. Horan has been with MKTG for over seven years and excels in producing fan engagement strategies and experiences in stadiums that help brands and teams deliver unforgettable moments of connection.

Rachael Sharratt (above) joins in the newly created Head of Client Services role, bringing her significant industry experience across rights holders, brands, and agencies. Sharratt's most recent role saw her leading complex commercial partnerships as a senior lead on the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™ team.

GM Briana Doyle said of Sharratt’s appointment "we're thrilled to welcome Rachael to MKTG and know she will immediately impact our evolving business. Coming off her remarkable contributions to the success of the Women's World Cup 2023™, she is already well-equipped to lead the team to continue their incredible work on current and prospective clients."

Also joining MKTG in another newly created role is Steve Whately (above) as Head of Business Solutions. Whately has extensive industry experience, having held senior commercial roles with Nielsen Sports, the Australian Sports Commission and KPMG for over 15 years. He joins from Greenroom Digital, where he was the General Manager, Australia and New Zealand.

GM Jarrad Provis shared "Steve brings a wealth of knowledge from his extensive career and will play a vital role in driving growth for MKTG through solutions for our clients that leverage the full potential of our integrated capabilities.”

Coordinated between a global network of dentsu sports International and MKTG colleagues in the US, UK, and Asia, MKTG has continued to strategically enhance its capabilities to deliver agile solutions for clients and partners that move at the speed of fans. Leveraging data and insights from dentsu Sports Analytics, MKTG can ensure clients make impactful and measurable connections with their audiences through insight-led marketing campaigns.

New/expanded capabilities in detail…

• PR & Talent Marketing team will focus on supporting sports teams, leagues, athletes, and brands in developing communications campaigns, messaging, managing proactive and reactive media relations, creating and implementing communications strategy, identifying and managing talent for client campaigns, assisting with crisis communications, and live event PR. The team will work across the agency's consulting, creative, events and production teams to provide input on ways campaigns can cut through, especially if earned media is a goal.
• The Partnerships and Events team is a centralised servicing team, providing market-leading, best-in-class solutions to brands and rights holders, from strategic consulting and portfolio review to partnership management to onsite delivery. The team also houses a growing sports presentation team led by Monique Horan, who excels in producing experiences in stadiums that help brands and teams deliver unforgettable experiences for fans.
• The Integrated Marketing Services division unites a team of sports and event marketing specialists who help brands grow by fusing fan insights with creative innovation to create memorable and measurable impact. To realise this potential, the team expanded their investment to advance sports analytics, strategic consultation, and creative and content capabilities. Specialist services include Sport and Entertainment Fan Marketing Strategy, Insights and Analytics, Creative Strategy, Content Production, and integrated business strategy.

Images from top: (from left) MKTG CD Ross Allen; GM PR, Stephanie Rudnick; GM Integrated Marketing Jarrad Provis, GM Partnerships and Events Briana Doyle; Images centre: Juliana Hollway Steph Rudnick Rene Wright MKTG PR and Talent Marketing; Monique Horan; Rachael Sharratt; Steve Whately

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