Former Commbank CMO Andy Lark rekindles relationship with M&C Saatchi at Xero
Former Commonwealth Bank chief marketer Andy Lark has reunited with M&C Saatchi after handing the agency creative and strategic duties in his new role as chief marketing officer of Xero.
Lark was CMO at Commbank when it appointed M&C Saatchi as its creative agency in February 2012. The two parties enjoyed a successful partnership with the roll out of the ‘Can’ brand platform, which continues to underpin its marketing activity.
The marketer left Commbank in May 2013 before joining Xero in October last year.
“I know first hand just how adept M&C Saatchi is in delivering fantastic business outcomes,” Lark said. “What’s really impressive is how they have continually evolved to be the most progressive player, with the best talent, in the industry.
“I can’t wait to get back in the saddle with them and ignite the Xero brand worldwide.”
M&C Saatchi will develop strategy and creative in each of Xero’s regional markets from its Sydney base, including the US, UK and New Zealand, with M&C Saatchi CEO Jaimes Leggett describing the software firm as among the most “progressive” companies in the country.
“Agency/client relationships are rapidly evolving and we are constantly looking for new ways we can help solve clients’ business problems,” he said. “Clients like Xero open up new worlds of possibility and we are thrilled to have this opportunity to work with Andy and his team to take the brand to another level on the global stage.”
Xero and M&C Saatchi were named number one and two respectively in the BRW 50 Most Innovative Companies list last October.
Steve Jones
when an agency has solid leadership, trusted client relationships and doesn’t fart around with bullshit internal politics and scam work. Well done m&c.
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Lucky M&C
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Have heard really good things around M&C of recent. Great win!
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Congrats to M&C on retaining a powerful client relationship and to Andy on rewarding prior good work. But let’s not forget the success of Xero in PR terms too, their leaders are absolute masters at driving hype and subsequent customer and investor demand. Thus a little more discernment wouldn’t go astray. Ultimately this is really all about building their share price in their home markets and more importantly in preparation for a likely Nasdaq listing. Nothing wrong with that – this is a marketing community after all. But a quick google search on actual returns to investors and the likelihood and reliability of those returns can help separate the facts from the fiction…
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MYOB has been catching up to Xero. Now they’ve floated, they’ve got a significant war chest to go head on with Xero That’s why this appointment has happened. MYOB has the brand. Xero has the hype. It’s an interesting appointment, selling a bank is very different proposition to selling SaaS. And M&C have zero experience in that field.
I’d be surprised if Xero ever made a Nasdaq listing. More likely they’ll end up like JDEdwards, PeopleSoft and Micros and be acquired by Oracle or the like.
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What?!?
Xero is fucking awesome. MYOB is shit.
I don’t know about Nasdaq listings, JD whatever etc. but I do know that Xero rocks.
Great product. Great people. Great agency.
I’d put on a dollar on it.
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