Digital agency R/GA opens brand design practice

by Staff, Brand Republic 12-Aug-08, 11:30

NEW YORK - R/GA is launching a brand design division, headed by Marc Shillum, former creative director at agencies including TBWA\London, Wieden & Kennedy and Bartle Bogle Hegarty.

R/GA Brand Design will develop branding primarily in the digital space, based on the expectation that as consumers' relationships to brands is based more and more on their online presence, the responsibility for brand perception will shift to digital agencies.

It will be structured so that members of the brand design division are 'nested' in with client account, creative and planning teams. Shillum takes the role of director of brand design and will report to Nick Law, chief creative officer for North America.

Bob Greenberg, chairman, CEO and global chief creative officer of R/GA, said: "It became clear to us that there's an untapped opportunity for brand experts who understand how digital behaviour factors into a company's brand. So, we decided to formalise a practice led by Marc Shillum, called R/GA Brand Design, which we plan to integrate into our total agency offering."

Shillum's experience includes working on the PlayStation account at TBWA\London; the relaunch of The Guardian at Wieden & Kennedy; and managing the Levi's account while at BBH.

He also worked with designer Tibor Kalman on projects such as the iconic New York restaurant Florent, and for The New York Times.

R/GA was founded in 1977 and is part of the Interpublic Group.