LONDON, May 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Matias Palm-Jensen, digital heavyweight and founder of Swedish digital agency Farfar, has joined McCann Erickson as the first Chief Innovation Officer for Europe, effective immediately. He will be responsible for strengthening McCann Erickson's digital presence and capabilities across Europe and ensuring that digital is at the core of solutions that are developed for clients. Matias will work to leverage cutting-edge technology and digital platforms to enhance McCann Erickson's digital performance across the board.
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Gustavo Martinez, President of McCann Worldgroup Europe says, "Matias will be the perfect companion in Europe for the new McCann Erickson. He has been a successful entrepreneur building up one of the most prestigious digital shops and holds a strong reputation in the digital space for his work on such diverse brands. These are the kind of skills that will strengthen McCann Erickson's transformation as the leading marketing solutions network in Europe and globally."
When asked why McCann Erickson hired Matias, Linus Karlsson, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of McCann Erickson, London and New York simply said, "He is Matias – one of the most creative minds in the business. He has the innate ability to see around corners like no one else I know. He has incredible foresight and a good, loud laugh."
Matt Freeman, Global Chief Innovation Officer for McCann Erickson added, "I've known Matias for over a decade and been a fan of his from afar. We are blessed to have someone of his caliber on our team.
Matias has been involved in the digital world of advertising since the beginning of the digital era. Working for MTG and the Swedish media mogul, Jan Stenbeck, he developed and produced one of the first European web portals in 1992.
In 1996, Matias started his first digital agency, Spiff Industries, a recognised and award winning Swedish shop, with a focus on the Scandinavian market. Matias then moved on and founded Farfar (Swedish for "grandfather") in 2000 to expand to global brands, giving clients a platform and channel in the new digital space. Global clients included Diesel, Absolut and Nokia.
Farfar immediately had award-winning success. In 2001 within just a year of its founding, Farfar began winning at Cannes, continuing to win various Cannes Lions for nine consecutive years. The Diesel "Heidies 15 MB of Fame" campaign won a Grand Prix Lion in 2007 and the agency also won a Grand Prix in Cannes for Milko with the "Music Machine" campaign.
The last campaign Matias was part of with Farfar was "The world's biggest signpost" for Nokia. In 2010 at Cannes, this campaign won eight Lions in five different categories. It was also recognised by The Gunn Report as the most award-winning piece last year.
Matias has a PhD in law and economics, and studied film at the university of Stockholm. He currently lives in Stockholm with his wife and family, but will be based out of the London office.
About McCann Worldgroup
McCann Worldgroup delivers marketing solutions that transform brands and grow businesses. The company is comprised of a collaborative roster of best-in-class agencies that emphasize creativity, innovation, and performance, including McCann Erickson Worldwide (the world's largest advertising agency network); MRM Worldwide (digital marketing/relationship management); Momentum Worldwide (event marketing/promotion); McCann Healthcare Worldwide (professional/dtc communications); WGEXP (global production); UM (media management); Weber Shandwick (public relations) and FutureBrand (consulting/design). McCann Worldgroup is a unit of Interpublic Group [NYSE: IPG].
