Edelman has appointed Monique McLaughlin as head of health in Australia.  The appointment shows the strategic focus and rapid growth the group has achieved in Australia with a special focus on pharmaceutical, medical technology, and consumer wellness. Edelman’s vice chair of health in APAC, Will Collie said the appointment shows the “firm commitment to fostering the culture of excellence”, specifically for health sector clients.  “Edelman in Australia has long been recognised as an innovative and creative leader in the marketing and communications industry. “As expectations of the communications and marketing function become more focused on driving real business outcomes, Edelman’s health clients need to know that we have industry expertise at the centre of our consulting teams. We see Monique’s in-house and consulting experience as mission-critical in helping the firm strategically guide and respond to the issues our clients face. “We’re building teams with n

Sling & Stone PR has welcomed economic development and destination management organisation, Townsville Enterprise to its client roster.  The comms agency will support Townsville Enterprise in its launch of the destination brand campaign, Up for Unexpected, through integrated social and traditional media activity.  Kelly Owens, Director Consumer Australia, Sling & Stone said Townsville Enterprise is an example of how the tourism industry is “roaring back to life” with creative campaigns.  “Our bread and butter is working with disruptive brands. We jumped at the opportunity to work with an iconic destination highlighting the unexpected. This was an opportunity to be part of developing a creative and integrated campaign that did things differently, something we relish. We’re proud to be partners with the Townsville Enterprise team who are consistently punching above their weight.” “The work that Townsville Enterprise has undertaken for its new destination brand

PR veterans Pip Bingemann and Amy Tucker have announced the launch of a new marketing, advertising, and experimentation studio, Trilingual.  The studio will offer research, marketing strategy, GTM plans, brand strategy, creative strategy, creative development, media planning and buying, training, data analysis, project management, agency management, and short and mid-term cover for parental leave or holiday cover. Bingemann said the duo bring experience from media, creative and brand marketing to solve problems. “The focus for Trilingual is tackling problems from all angles, having worked in media agencies, creative agencies, and client-side roles, we speak all languages. But it’s not just about experience, we partner that experience with technology and AI to help us to move faster,” he said.  Tucker said Trilingual will plug into any problem in a seamless manner.  “We call ourselves a plug-and-play studio, on one side we fill gaps, but on the other, we are committed t

Initiative has retained the Pernod Ricard Australia and New Zealand media account after a competitive pitch.  Initiative will be working across the entire brand portfolio including all Pernod’s wine, spirit, whiskey, champagne, RTD, and ‘new to world’ brands. Managing director of Initiative, Jo McAlister said the team is excited to continue with Pernod Ricard for another three year on its journey to lead ANZ’s competitive alcohol beverage markets.  “This is phenomenal news and we are so proud to continue our partnership.  For the past three years, we have grown together as brands, collaborating via a truly open and transparent relationship and enjoying an agency/client bond that I’ve rarely seen in market. “We love what we have achieved for Pernod to date and are particularly proud of the Absolut Pride Relay/Show Your Colours campaign which was a stand-out as it broke so many diversity and inclusion barriers across rural Australia.”  “We can’t wait to con

Host/Havas has announced the promotion of Managing partner Ant Moore to the newly created role of managing director.  In the new role, Moore will expand his responsibilities for the agency while continuing to be hands-on with clients including Reckitt, Tourism Fiji, and the Australian Federal Police. James Wright, CEO, Havas Creative Network said Moore has been a “crucial player” in many of the team’s successes, from client relationships, campaigns and building a winning culture.  “Last year was a prosperous one for the agency, as well the success and recognition our creative work has received (and continues to receive) around the world. With Gayle joining as CEO at Host/Havas, I am excited that Ant will be taking an elevated role in shaping the future of the agency,” Wright said.  Ant Moore said the team at Host/Havas are “incredibly talented and make his job easier”.  “I’m really proud of everything we have achieved together, particularly over the past fe

Jake Challenor has announced the launch of Sound Story, a strategic public relations and comms agency Sound Story and will provide services including corporate and crisis communications, media relations and publicity, executive profile building, sponsorship management, and stakeholder engagement. Joining the agency alongside Challenor are Brian Lawlor, general manager, and Zanda Wilson, senior communications specialist, with offices in both Sydney and Melbourne.  Challenor said he is ready to begin the work alongside Lawlor and Wilson and with the support of UNIFIED investments.  “We are building Sound Story to support leaders and founders who are disrupting the entertainment industry for the better and building the blockbuster brands of tomorrow. As a journalist, I found myself writing more and more about many of these organisations in recent years — Australia’s entrepreneurial spirit is truly remarkable. “As the business of entertainment continues to enjoy exponential

Sling & Stone has been appointed as the agency of record for Tracksuit, a New Zealand-born startup on a mission to shape the future of brand tracking, across Australia and New Zealand following a competitive pitch process.  The agency will grow Tracksuit’s brand presence among marketing decision makers including founder profiling, tapping into Tracksuit’s datasets on consumer trends and positioning the platform as a crucial tool in the marketers toolkit.  Mikayla Hopkins, head of marketing, Tracksuit said Sling & Stone share the “same core values of innovation, integrity and a relentless pursuit of excellence” as Tracksuit is.  “From our very first meeting with the Sling & Stone team, the vibes were clear. We place a high value on team and culture here at Tracksuit, so finding an agency that not only acts as a partner, but as an extension of our Tracksuit family was paramount. Sling & Stone is exactly that,” she said.  James Hutchinson, Global Head