Arrivals & Departures: Colenso Digital – driven by experience (Updated)

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The recent release of five digital properties; Kupu (Spark), Convert-it (BNZ), SelfieSTIX Filters (Pedigree), My Moni (BNZ), and Penny the Penguin (BNZ) marks the end of the long rebuild for the digital offering at Colenso BBDO.

“It’s also the beginning of some very exciting opportunities for the team,” the agency says, in a release sent to M+AD this morning.

“With the merger of Touchcast Auckland over 18 months ago, the departure of key people to Wellington & ASB and a multitude of digital startups, it was time to rebuild the offering,” the release continues.

“Colenso BBDO never has a shortage of challenging problems, great ideas and amazing clients; getting this team on track was a priority for the company’s leadership team and crucial to their future success. 

“With the promotion of some of the company’s digital stars to lead roles, the addition of new producers, one incredible Russian lead developer and a creative technologist who plays a mean guitar solo, they had their core team back. 

“Matt Barnes arrived as head of digital, giving Colenso the natural leader it needed and completing the digital puzzle. 


“Matt’s the perfect partner for Levi Slavin and Paul Courtney to lead our digital offering, spanning both creative and studios capabilities.”

“Matt’s the perfect partner for CCO Levi Slavin and COO Paul Courtney to lead the company-wide digital offering, spanning across both creative and studios capabilities.”

Slavin said: “We welcome Matt into the Colenso family and have loved getting him deep into our clients’ problems and solutions. Having the creative, tech and production brain in one has its obvious benefits.”

Back to the release: “Matt has a rich history in experience design, production and creativity, making him the perfect mix for a role as varied as any within the company today.

“Matt will own the company’s relationships with partners such as Google, Facebook and Amazon, working with them to strategise and execute more incredible digital branded experiences.

“Leading the 20-strong digital specialists will not be new to Matt, as his recent time at FCB showed – their Oat the Goat work was heavily awarded at the recent Best Awards.

Says Matt: “What excites me about Colenso is not only being surrounded by incredibly smart people, but the massive opportunity to use technology to change people’s lives in a very tangible way.”

Colenso, informed by data, is using those insights to drive meaningful brand experiences for their clients and their clients’ customers.

Matt Barnes said: “Clearly Colenso are already smashing it in this space, and I’m relishing the chance to help take it to the next level in New Zealand and on the international stage.”


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