Australia – Sound experience company Sonos has teamed up with global creative agency, Amplify and award-winning producer Eric J Dubowsky to create a brand new immersive listening experience.  

Aiming to bring Sonos’ brand platform, “nothing feels like Sonos,” to Australia, Amplify’s creative theme employed the concept of ‘frisson’ which translates to goosebumps in French, defining the immersive sound’s ability to evoke deep emotions and elicit physical sensations.

With award winning producer, sound engineer, and songwriter Eric J Dubowsky at the helm, the result is ‘Frisson Trigger’, an original track intentionally crafted to cause psychophysiological responses within listeners such as an elevated heart rate and dilated pupils. 

Amplify was responsible for the concept, overseeing the production of the track, online film content and the design and production of a launch event that provided Australian media and music industry personalities with the listening experience of Frisson Trigger on the Sonos Era 300.

Pete Pedersen, VP for marketing communication at Sonos, commented that frisson is the ideal concept for them to establish their presence in the market as something cultural in connection to the music industry. 

“The creation of ‘Frisson Trigger’ underscores Sonos’ sound innovation with listening experiences that help people feel more from the music they love – we couldn’t be more excited to share it with the world,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Tim Baggott, executive creative director at Amplify, said, “We’re very grateful to have had the opportunity to bring art and science together to create an extraordinary, permanent cultural artefact in the form of ‘Frisson Trigger’. Developing this campaign with Sonos and Eric J was a truly fascinating experience and we commend the bravery of our Sonos client to pursue such an innovative, experimental idea. It feels like we’ve opened Pandora’s box with this one.”

Australia – Global creative agency Amplify in Australia has announced two senior appointments. Jackson Holst has joined the agency as creative director while Ian Davidson has come on board as business director.

Holst and Davidson have close to 30 years’ experience between them, having worked at some of the most widely recognised agencies and brands both here and overseas. These include Weber Shandwick, Jack Morton, INNOCEAN, Havas Sports & Entertainment, and Red Bull. 

Currently on the Youngbloods Committee and a mentor for D&AD Shift, Holst has worked on a wide range of clients including Koala, Ancestry, General Motors Specialty Vehicles, Target, Google Cloud, EY, and Officeworks. As part of his role as creative director, Holst will be helping grow and develop Amplify’s creative team and will mentor junior creatives within and outside the agency.

Meanwhile, Davidson, before moving to Australia in 2011, had built a career in the brand activation and experiential space with roles on both the agency and client side. During his career spanning the UK and Australia, as well as a stint in Singapore, Ian has worked with some of the biggest brands including Hyundai Motor Group, Bupa, P&G, Unilever, Samsung, and Telstra. Ian has also had significant experience in sponsorship strategy and execution across multiple sporting codes.

ECD at Amplify, Tim Baggott, said, “Jackson is a rare talent, as wonderfully imaginative as he is pragmatic. In the short time he’s been with us he’s already made an enormous contribution, elevating our work, and strengthening our creative culture. We’re thrilled to have him on the team.”

Amplify’s Managing Partner Gareth Davies, also commented, “We’re thrilled to have these talented individuals join the team and bring their varied experience and fresh perspectives to our work and client relationships. Ian will lead key agency client relationships, developing and building on an already strong relationship base and offering insightful and strategic management of client campaigns. Ian is already having a big impact on the team and our clients.”

Meanwhile, the new creative director said, “Amplify has an incredibly talented team, a distinct approach to shaping culture and a raft of inspiring projects. I am delighted to be on board and look forward to the exciting times ahead.”

Davidson commented, “Amplify has an exceptional reputation for delivering insight-driven ideas with excellence. It’s an honour to join such a standout team and to be working on a client portfolio that includes some of the most progressive and exciting brands in the industry right now.”

The new appointments follow several recent additions to Amplify’s client roster including Canva, PlayStation, and Levi’s. 

Amplify is a global creative agency specialising in experience and culture, focused on ‘joining the dots between people, brands, and culture. The agency has offices in London, Los Angeles, & Sydney.