Kass Sells, former chief operating officer of Draftfcb West, has been appointed managing director of Wunderman Seattle and global client lead for Wunderman’s Microsoft team.
In this newly created position, based in Seattle, Sells’ primary responsibility is leading the Microsoft account.
“Microsoft is a major client for Wunderman and WPP. We want to invest and grow our relationship with [the company]. Our priority is focusing on Microsoft globally, in the United States and throughout all subsidiaries,” Sells said.
While COO of Draftfcb, he managed business development, creative services, digital, direct and data groups, as well as led its Hewlett-Packard’s Imaging and Printing Group business.
“Kass understands the intricacies of today’s relationship marketing – both the traditional and online aspects of the business. He knows how to blend insights, metrics and optimization – the core of Microsoft’s charter – to deliver powerful results,” said David Sable, Wunderman’s COO and senior counselor to Microsoft, to whom Sells reports.
The Wunderman and WPP networks offered Sells both the attraction and challenge he was looking for, he said.
“The biggest attraction was working with a strong and global brand like Microsoft. I hope to add to Wunderman the ability to bring the right resources to bear for clients, globally,” he said.
Managing both the Wunderman and WPP networks in order to meet the needs of Microsoft and other clients is a challenge in itself, but working with other agencies such as McCann and MRM Worldwide also presents a challenge.
“We partner quite well with McCann and MRM, and Microsoft would like us to see more of that. Being a good partner with Microsoft and its subsidiaries around the world is to our mutual benefit,” Sells said.
Though Sells’ position is new, Microsoft is a longstanding Wunderman client and currently there are statements of work and assignments in over 30 countries on various Microsoft campaigns. Sells’ appointment to the position is a bid to cultivate and grow that relationship.
