New York, United States – Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), the new global content studio by IPG Mediabrands, and Vice Media Group (VMG), the world’s largest independent youth media agency, have announced their global creative and production partnership, effective immediately.
The innovative partnership will focus on creative solutions without committing to any media spend, ad buy, or content placement on VMG’s media properties. Through this, Mediabrands and its clients will now have a full turnkey global production infrastructure that can develop, facilitate, and create a diverse array of brand-owned and controlled content, which can then be placed on clients’ owned-and-operated (O&O) sites and desired media channels.
Meanwhile, VMG will now have direct access to Mediabrands’ comprehensive portfolio of clients around the globe, as the preferred production partner, through which it can directly develop content, support, and engage on production deals.
Mediabrands emerging film and television development practice will also benefit from the deal, allowing VMG’s Pulse Films to co-develop a slate of original entertainment properties with TRAVERSE32 – Mediabrands’ independent development and entertainment company founded by MBCS’s global head of production Brett Henenberg and Mediabrands Global’s chief content officer Brendan Gaul last December.
According to Gaul, “The VMG partnership will allow us to deliver consistent content capabilities across our top markets at the highest level regardless of media commitment. The unbundling of media and content is a gamechanger in the way we can quickly respond to a client’s content need anywhere, for any use with exceptional creativity.”
Henenberg also shared that the power of this partnership is that it allows them to deliver high quality, low cost, and fast and agile production, which reminds him of the old saying ‘you can only choose two between good, fast, and cheap’ that no longer applies as the global scale of this deal allows them to truly deliver all three anywhere in the world.
Meanwhile, Dan Bowen, the senior vice president of global production at VMG, said, “We are thrilled to kick off this partnership. The IPG Mediabrands team understands the best way to tap into our extensive offering at VMG and will bring VMG a level of first-person brand access media companies rarely get. With production across the full spectrum leading and media supporting, together we are positioned for some exciting work and creative collaboration.”
Pulse Films’ Global President of Commercials and Branded Davud Karbassioun commented, “Brendan & Brett have a unique track record for guiding their diverse portfolio of brands to properly create and own entertainment IP in a truly innovative, meaningful, and rewarding way. There is a big opportunity for brands at the heart of this partnership that we are excited to dive into with TRAVERSE32.”
