Beyond interactive adds digital design, new execs

WPP-owned MediaCom has undertaken what it calls a strategic realignment of Beyond Interactive, its digital marketing and media unit. Renamed Beyond Interaction, the federal agency has expanded its digital capabilities, traditionally focused on data and media services, to include digital designing.

MediaCom said it has also good integrated Beyond's digital services with its full general client offerings and made six senior-level hires over the past nine calendar month in digital strategy and analytics roles.

Founded as Beyond Interactive in 1995 and acquired by WPP-owned Grey Global Group in 1999, the firm was aligned with Grey media federal agency MediaCom in 2001. "We have ever been a media and a data-centric organization," said Beyond Interaction CEO William Harvey Goldhersz. "We believe that if we can understand what's drive results and contributing to success, we can be effective."

New executive director include Jon Winsell, who oversees capability development as managing partner and manager of client services; Laura McFarlane, hired as managing partner and chief scheme officer; Srishti Gupta, who was named senior partner, media penetration and analytics director; and Nick Zylick, partner and manager of CRM. On the creative side, Tom John Walker is senior partner and creative director and Jeff Malmad is senior partner of invention, responsible for emerging media and Mobile River.

In add-on to the hires, the realignment assigns clear coverage structures that more firm establish Beyond Interaction as the digital arm of MediaCom.

The purpose is that every MediaCom client will have the ability to integrate digital, said Goldhersz. "It's our belief and outlook that Beyond will be a strong digital integrating� for clients who want that service, and have digital as a standalone service for clients who want that service," he said.

Beyond Interaction services include media planning, media purchasing, creative production, database selling, mobile selling, word of mouth, and strategic business consulting.