Ad agency delivers 'design with a dollop of psychology'

Advertising agency Whybin/TBWA is calling on human psychology to make its campaigns more effective.

The company is opening a “user experience lab” in Auckland to look at the motivations and needs of consumers.

The move follows the agency merging its Tequila and Shift digital consultancies to create DAN, its new Digital Arts Network.

“It’s design with a healthy dollop of psychology,” says Shift managing director Che Tamahori, who will lead DAN/Auckland.

Digital campaigns are an increasing part of an agency’s businesses, with many campaigns conducted online using websites or social media. Intranets for organisations to communicate are part of that mix.

Mr Tamahori says such campaigns see a collaboration of business and technology “but not enough of the end users’ voice”.

“The user is the advertiser, the person using that channel. It’s that focus that will bring value to the client,” he said.

Whybin/TBWA, he says, tends not to “partition staff” but six are already dedicated to the new lab, with others drafted in as and when required.

“It’s a natural part of the design process but a critical part of technology driven channels.” 
The lab will form part of the new integrated DAN team, which involves 700 agency staff globally, including its offices in New York, London, Singapore and other markets.

Increasingly, the company plans to work globally, with DAN Auckland more able and likely to work with other DAN offices when serving clients.

“The remit of DAN is to provide global capability,” Mr Tamahori says.

As part of this, DAN/Auckland has recruited former agency staffer Miriam Walker to work in Whybin/TBWA’s London office to bring work to New Zealand.

The agency claims competencies from creative technology and user experience (UX) through social media and mobile to content, intellectual property, search and analytics.

David Walden, chief executive of Whybin/TBWA, says combining Shift’s digital experience with Tequila’s award-winning campaigning “will give DAN the best, broadest digital competency in New Zealand”.