Digital and data-driven strategist Paul Marobella, now President of Havas Discovery, has been named Group President of two additional Chicago-based shops within the Havas Worldwide portfolio: experiential agency Havas Impact and brand agency Palm + Havas.
Marobella joined Havas in August as the operational leader of data, digital, analytics and customer relationship management agency Havas Discovery, for which he helps guide its direction, growth and client service. Twice named by Advertising Age as one of the Best and Brightest Media Strategists, Marobella is a marketing executive for the digital era. His passion lies in helping brands win in their markets by getting closer to their buyers than ever before, through the use of digital, social and other marketing technologies.
In the expanded oversight role for the Havas Chicago Group, Marobella will further sharpen the individual agencies’ integrated, forward-thinking approaches. Ron Bess, President of Havas Worldwide North America and CEO of Havas Worldwide Chicago, explained that placing Marobella in this role capitalizes on the natural opportunities brought about by aligning Havas Discovery’s data, digital and customer relationship management capabilities and the Palm + Havas and Havas Impact groups’ brand experiential and event expertise.
“The vision for Havas Worldwide Chicago has always been to bring a more unified communications approach to our clients. Paul understands how to do this by integrating our data, digital, CRM and brand experience capabilities,” Havas Worldwide North America CEO, Ron Bess said. “He understands that today's consumer is engaged with brands at all stages of the decision journey. We're confident he'll help all of our clients get to the future faster."
Over two decades, Marobella has worked across virtually every major vertical category while advising world-class brands on the development and execution of countless marketing campaigns, both digital and traditional. Brands he has advised include Motorola, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Nike, Jim Beam and ConAgra Foods.
“Having these specialized capabilities nested within a brand and response agency like the Havas Chicago Group gives us the ability to help a brand connect with their buyers at every point on the customer journey,” Marobella said. “From first-time awareness, through driving trial and continued frequency and advocacy –Palm + Havas Chicago for brand, Havas Discovery for data, digital and CRM capabilities, and Havas Impact for experiential and trial activation through sampling – we can bring a unified approach to the table that drives real results.”
Marobella joined Havas Discovery from [wire] stone, one of the largest independent digital agencies in the United States, where he led the Chicago office and was the agency’s national Chief Marketing and Growth Officer. Before that, Marobella was Executive Vice President of Strategic Planning and Chief Growth Officer at Ambrosi, the largest retail advertising agency in the United States. Marobella previously worked for Greco Ethridge Group, a one-time AdAge BtoB Agency of The Year, for which he led the Boston office and headed brand strategy.
A native Bostonian, Marobella is now firmly planted in Chicago, where he and his wife are raising their two daughters and two English Bulldogs. He is an avid hockey player and chairs a Chicago Blackhawks-supported nonprofit, The Inner-City Education Program.