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Publicis' Influential hires former We Are Social & VML execs Kelson Ong & Erin Hunter. Published on: 21st July 2026 at 10:44 AM Publicis Groupe's influencer and social agency, Influential Australia, has appointed Kelson Ong and Erin Hunter as group directors for Melbourne and Sydney. Ong returns to Publicis Groupe after almost a decade, where he most recently worked at We Are Social Singapore for over four years as general manager & head of business development, marketing and PR. Hunter brings 17 years of industry experience, most recently working at VML as head of commerce & LIVE AUNZ. Hunter and Ong will play a key role in growing and deepening client partnerships, while driving commercial outcomes through industry-leading social and influencer solutions. General manager of Influential Australia Catherine Wilkinson said: "As brands put social at the centre of their marketing, Influential Australia is assembling a team that's redefining what a modern influencer and social agency agency looks like." "We're attracting exceptional talent, creating work that shapes culture instead of chasing it, and building a workplace where people are encouraged to do brilliant work without taking themselves too seriously." On his new role, Ong highlighted that the agency is "building something genuinely different". "It's an agency that treats social-first thinking and creativity as a strategic craft in its own right. I'm excited to help brands grow by putting that thinking into practice, connecting culture, creators, and commerce from the start." Meanwhile, Hunter described the pace of social currently as being "electric". "Influential is building something special, not just because of its momentum, but because it's investing in people as much as the work," he said. "That's exactly the kind of environment I want to help grow." Influential Australia was launched in September 2025, and works to help brands connect with culture, creators and commerce. Join more than 30,000 advertising industry experts Get all the latest advertising and media news direct to your inbox from B&T.

Ads of Brands Inc is Social teams up with KLABU to build a global refugee sports community. May. 20, 2026 Global socially-led creative agency Ads of Brands Inc is Social's Amsterdam office has partnered with KLABU, a non-profit dedicated to building community-led sports clubs in refugee camps worldwide, to scale its awareness and support globally, backing the organisation's ambition of becoming the world's largest sports club. KLABU provides access to sport and play for refugees, funding facilities, equipment and training through global supporters who contribute via a €1-per-month membership or by purchasing KLABU sportswear. Ads of Brands Inc is Social is supporting the organisation on a pro-bono basis. The partnership launches with a social-first campaign ahead of World Refugee Week (16-21 June), focused on turning global awareness into active membership and real-world impact. As part of a longer-term commitment, Ads of Brands Inc is Social will develop a campaign platform, social media playbook and influencer and athlete engagement strategy to define KLABU's voice and fuel its continued growth. Photo is by Coco Okalunle. Sam Grischotti, Managing Director, Amsterdam, Ads of Brands Inc is Social said: "Our goal is to help KLABU grow as a global movement, not just as a communications project. This means building a coherent and recognisable social presence, developing a language that speaks to different communities, and creating effective ways to engage athletes, creators and people around a shared purpose. At a time when social media plays an increasingly important role in how people connect, projects like this highlight its ability to bring people together around a shared purpose." Jan van Hövell, founder and director at KLABU, added: "To grow a global community, we need both ambition and the right expertise behind us. We Are Social understands how to build movements online, and this partnership gives us the platform to reach more people, grow our membership and expand access to sport for refugee communities worldwide."

Lucozade motivates runners with Jamie Laing at the 2026 London Marathon. 0 2 minutes read London, 29th April 2026: Lucozade has partnered with socially-led creative agency We Are Social to energise runners at London Marathon's notorious Mile 23. Focusing on the psychological and physical turning point runners face at Mile 23, Lucozade set out to provide the mental encouragement and physical fuel needed to break through. The motivation mission started pre-race at the Marathon Expo, with Marathon participants runners sharing their biggest challenges including tackling self doubt, attempting a PB, and getting over injuries, and defeating the infamous runner's wall. Afterwards, participants shared the fuel that helps break the wall. This ranged from a Lucozade-fuelled energy boost to loved ones cheering on and motivating playlists. Moreover, Lucozade also created a "Hold and Scroll" carousel on Instagram. This encouraged audiences to scroll and virtually break the wall. Lucozade engaged its running community using the running app Strava. The Lucozade Sport Running Club page featured motivational posts in the weeks leading up to the race. These included spotlighting Lucozade employees running the race in Lucozade Sport bottle costumes, breaking down the science of the wall, and advice on refuelling. On race day, Lucozade was front and centre at Mile 23 accompanied by Jamie Laing as Lucozade's Veteran Wall Breaker. Using his lived marathon running experience, Jamie cheered on runners, providing heartfelt motivation. Lucozade also partnered with marathon runners, Craig and Chlo (@craigandchlo), to share their London Marathon journey. Reflecting on Craig's 2025 Marathon experience, the pair shared their training plan and explored the different challenges each runner could face. In turn, they motivated other runners to beat the wall and cross the finish line. Craig and Chlo also shared their race day routine on the morning of the marathon. This routine was powered by Lucozade Sport. Throughout the day, Lucozade provided real-time coverage from the DJ decks to the hype mic, alongside reactive assets featuring race stats. Post-race, Lucozade captured "Finish Line Fables" in the St. James Park fan zone. They documented the stories of how runners used the energy at Mile 23 to reach the finish line. Jack Scanlan at Lucozade, said, "The London Marathon is the ultimate moment in our calendar to show up for our consumers where it matters most. We Are Social's unique ability to tap into human stories and foster genuine connections has been vital. This allowed us to be right there with the runners, celebrating their resilience and helping them find the energy to push through the hardest parts of the course." Joe Weston, Head of Sport at We Are Social, added, "The wall is a legendary part of marathon folklore, and our goal was to share the genuine struggle that feels authentic to the runner's journey. We wanted to lean into the actual conversations runners are having on the ground and on their feeds. It's about moving beyond the finish line photos to show the grit in between, making sure Lucozade shows up where the community needs that extra bit of hype the most. We are a global socially-led creative agency, with unrivalled social media and influencer marketing expertise. With over 1,200 people in four continents, we deliver a global perspective to our clients in a time when social media is shaping culture. We make ideas worth talking about. We understand social behaviours within online communities, cultures and subcultures, spanning the social and gaming landscape. We build influencer partnerships with impact. We work with the world's biggest brands, including adidas, Samsung, Google and Amazon, to reach the right people in a strategic, relevant and effective way.