Marketing News: Experiential marketing : ‘iris Studios’ launches to offer full range of creative content solutions

News Release from: MarketingUK
04/03/2010
‘iris Studios’ ,Shaun McIlrath,iris,Pocket TV ,Charlotte Soussan,Matt Edmondson ,Henry Scotland,expe

Integrated marketing agency iris is to launch a dedicated creative content arm 'iris Studios' which will produce a range of formats for all disciplines from ad-funded programming and branded entertainment to online content and digital direct. The new department will embrace open source creativity and encourage clients to be actively involved in the content planning and development process, as well as appropriate parts of the production process.

Initial projects to be handled through the new department will include the second series of 'Pocket TV', the hugely successful mobile and online entertainment show created by iris for Sony Ericsson and work for adidas UK.

Shaun McIlrath, executive creative director of iris, said: "Creativity is changing. Moving image is no longer just about short-form TV commercials – it's now about a whole range of formats that work for all disciplines, from ad-funded programming to online content and digital direct.

And the potential is huge – our

iris Studios will put as much emphasis on the strategic inputs behind the content as it will on the creative outputs and eventual production solutions. It will be headed up by the agency’s executive creative director Shaun McIlrath, alongside Henry Scotland who is also managing director of iris’ experiential marketing arm ‘iris Experience’.  

The core team will consist of a diverse collective of content specialists, which will see iris unite its existing Moving Image creative team, led by Torriano Stewart, with its specialist brand entertainment director Charlotte Soussan. In addition, bespoke virtual teams will be created around specific opportunities that become part of the wider collaboration with the client / agency team.

First briefs for the department will include the second series of Sony Ericsson’s Pocket TV, which will return on the 13th April due to the success of the first series, which featured some of the music industry’s hottest talent such as Florence and the Machine, Tinchy Stryder and N-Dubz. TV personality and now Radio 1 presenter Matt Edmondson will be returning as host for the second series, which will see iris unveil a brand new look and feel for the show, as well as an updated format. The second series will again be produced by JA Digital via iris Studios.

Henry Scotland, managing director of iris Studios, said: “Brands need to make content that is more compelling and more diverse than ever before, they need to do it more efficiently and they want to be more heavily involved. We’re genuinely excited to be establishing something so uniquely well-placed to embrace the ever-dynamic media landscape and built to deliver fascinating content, whatever the brief, discipline or channel.”

Other moving image projects by iris include fully integrated campaigns for Sony Ericsson for its music download service PlayNow Plus featuring TV, cinema and online, and TV ads for Network Rail for the launch of its West Coast Main Line.