M&C Saatchi Sport and Entertainment has launched M&C Saatchi Fabric in Australia, a new lifestyle marketing division targeting ‘passion points’ such as fashion, food, beauty, and health. A presence in London, New York, Johannesburg, and Berlin will follow in the coming months.

M&C Saatchi Sport and Entertainment’s head of communications, Krystyna Frassetto, will head up the division in the local market, seven months after joining the company.

Martin and Frassetto

“The way we cultivate our passions is evolving. It’s no longer just about a favourite celebrity, team, or game – passions have become an outlet for creative expression, a way to forge a new identity, upskill, campaign for change, and even gain a professional advantage,” Frassetto said.

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“M&C Saatchi Fabric helps brands identify these audience ‘hyper-passions’ and designs creative communications solutions that reflect the new ways they experience and share stories.

“In the lifestyle category, we’re seeing a proliferation of fragmented, heightened and often quite niche interests, particularly in areas of food, style and wellbeing and this is changing the way consumers discover, engage with and express what they love.

“With our Australian media industry in a state of flux and the democratisation of creativity – inspiration and influence can come from anywhere. An integrated editorial approach has never been more critical for brands looking to form a relationship with customers.”

The agency added that one in every two online transactions last year were lifestyle purchases, and news stories related to ‘passion points’ have increased by 80% over the last three years.

Steve Martin, M&C Saatchi Sport and Entertainment’s global CEO, who relocated to Sydney last year, said the agency has connected brands to audiences “through the things people love” for 16 years. The new Fabric division will improve that offering further.

“A lot can be learnt from sport and entertainment marketing on how to build fandom and drive loyalty,” Martin said.

“There are traditional, sophisticated ecosystems centered primarily around long-term sponsorship deals and broadcast rights, as well as athletes, celebrities, and major events, that offer created well-established ways for brands to activate.

“In Australia, we are seeing increasing crossover and blurred lines between what were traditional ‘sport’ or ‘entertainment’ brands, and what is now perceived as ‘lifestyle’. The Sport & Entertainment team has unparalleled experience across this spectrum of passion-marketing, which when developing the new division, ensured there was a competitive and compelling offering that can be applied to the world of lifestyle communications and marketing.”

M&C Saatchi Sport and Entertainment provides services across creative, experiential, media relations, influencer engagement, and social, with a client list that includes Commonwealth Bank, Golf Australia, Smeg, and Sonos.

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