Coca-Cola, L’Oréal and GM among brands at helm of McCann’s new Innovation Council | Campaign US

McCann has brought leaders from the world’s most renowned brands together to form a new Innovation Council.

The group, which will meet three times a year, will see the IPG agency, its clients and the technology community at large discuss and explore cutting-edge ideas and practices. 

It builds on McCann’s ongoing HumanTech offering that has paired clients with technology innovators and entrepreneurs to develop advanced tailored marketing solutions.

Harris Diamond, chairman and CEO of McCann Worldgroup, said: “In today’s very competitive world, it has become essential for marketers to develop new ways to connect meaningfully with their consumers. 

“Our clients look to us to provide them with the most relevant, actionable and emotionally-compelling insights into how their consumers live their lives and see the world around them. 

“However, while technologies, innovations, research and the data that drive those insights are all important, they remain in the background because the value we provide to our clients is in the depth and effectiveness of those human connections.”

The Innovation Council will be led by Elav Horwitz, McCann Worldgroup’s global innovation director. She, along with Sean MacDonald, McCann Worldgroup’s global chief digital officer, developed a suite of innovation development capabilities under the HumanTech umbrella that has McCann clients engaging with a range of non-traditional resources, from teen hackers to technology entrepreneurs. 

Among the initial group of participants are: Dave Evendon-Challis, VP innovation, RB; Sandrine Gadol, chief innovation officer, L’Oréal USA; Cheryl Guerin, EVP marketing and communications, Mastercard North America; Chuck Thomson, general manager retail sales and marketing support, General Motors; Rodolfo Echeverria, global VP creative, Coca-Cola; Alexis Licci, genrete de marketing corporativo, Entel; Gerardo Mazzeo, global innovation director, Nestlé and; Sander Ruitenberg, worldwide digital solutions, Novartis.

“Innovation is part of L’Oréal’s DNA and we recognize that diverse perspectives are essential to moving at the speed of culture and anticipating the needs of tomorrow’s consumer,” said Sandrine Gadol, Chief Innovation Officer, L’Oréal USA. 

“The ambition of this council, and Elav’s vision, is to bring together  innovators from industry-leading businesses to cross-fertilize our thinking  beyond our own industries to shape our vision for the future.”

Said Dave Evendon-Challis, VP innovation at RB, added: “Partnerships should be at the core of every business. Whether it’s a partnership between company and customer, leaders and employees, or client and agency, there are plenty of benefits to breaking silos and joining forces to learn from each other and drive innovation. 

“At RB, innovation partnerships go beyond just product development. For us, it’s about working with like-minded partners who share our values and vision, but challenge our thinking and open our eyes to new ideas that will define how we innovate – forging win-win-relationships that will allow us both to take advantage of the emerging health trends and provide brilliant new solutions to our consumers.”