Former BuzzFeed director Brad Arnold launches content media agency, We’re in Cahoots

BuzzFeed Australia’s former brand strategy director, Brad Arnold, has launched a new content specialist media company ‘We’re in Cahoots’, promising to streamline advertisers’ content development.

Arnold, who was a sales director at REA and a strategy manager at MCN prior to BuzzFeed, said the company looks to streamline the content process for brands, something he believes has become cluttered and confused with agencies and publishing houses.

Arnold set up the agency after finishing the role he took with BuzzFeed in 2015.

“As a team we have been leaning in, taking chances and learning via experimentation in various fields all year. We knew ‘Cahoots’ was the end goal, we just needed to finalise our facility and distribution model before feeling self-assured we are more than just competitive in the space,” he said.

“The media landscape has evolved productively from the standard client to agency to publisher model. Brands playing it safe with that traditional and antiquated mindset are limiting their true potential for creative freedom.

“Let’s face it, media agencies are biased to where budgets are spent, creative houses can add dollar signs to a simple project budget, while publishers have politics and internal restrictions that limit the true evolution of an idea beyond their own platforms.

“These are just some of the reasons you have seen a growing progression in clients building their own experienced in-house media teams, and more presently, the rise of the consultancy model.”

Arnold says his experience at BuzzFeed was a big reason for forming his Surry Hills-based venture: “Traditionally in the content space you find 85% of time and budget being spent around the idea, creation, production. For us it’s a 50/50 split, the audience and distribution is thought of at every stage of the process.

“Outside of working with brands, we will do our best to elevate and help emerging creative aficionados through creative projects, content and collaboration.”

He concluded: “There are so many amazing and interesting people out there doing wonderful things, I love to hear their story and lessons. We look forward to creatively exploring more through the year.”

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