SAN FRANCISCO & MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WCG, a W2O Group Company, today announced the hiring of digital leader David Witt as Group Director of Brand Strategy and Engagement. He also will launch an office in Minneapolis to serve a growing number of clients in the Upper Midwest region and access talent in the area for WCG.
Witt’s impressive consumer packaged goods (CPG) experience includes work with some of the nation’s most-loved brands, including Yoplait, Progresso, Cheerios, Pillsbury and Reese’s, as well as iconic corporate brands, including Hershey’s and General Mills.
During Witt’s tenure at Hershey’s as Director of Global Marketing and Brand PR, he and his team were successful in pushing two of its brands into the top ten food brands in social media – a by-product of increasing those brands’ respective fan bases by nearly 80 percent, while driving engagement rates by more than 150 percent. Moreover, Witt and his team elevated the role of digital at Hershey’s as part of a larger paid, earned, shared and owned (PESO) strategy.
Prior to joining Hershey’s, Witt was Senior Manager of Consumer Engagement at General Mills, where he led social media and the company’s word of mouth (WOM) marketing efforts. He also created the company’s three consumer engagement networks – MyBlogSpark, Pssst… and MyGetTogether – and was twice awarded General Mills’ coveted Champions Award. Due to his deep experience in the field of WOM, Witt was elected Chairman of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) for 2012 and currently maintains a seat on its Board of Directors.
“It’s always an honor to have a client join the firm,” said W2O President Bob Pearson, who has worked closely with Witt over the past several years. “It’s particularly special given all that David has achieved and the relevant work he has done that will help us as we build out the next generation of new models in PESO and WOM that will pragmatically disrupt the status quo.”
To read more about David joining WCG, visit the Common Sense blog.
About WCG
WCG is focused on integrated business solutions in the areas of innovation, change and growth for the world's leading companies and brands. WCG serves clients through a network of offices in San Francisco, New York, Austin, Los Angeles and London. For more than a decade, WCG's seasoned professionals have specialized in providing analytics, content, engagement and strategy to a diverse set of clients across the consumer, technology, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. For more information, please visit http://wcgworld.com.
About W2O Group
Founded and led by Chairman and CEO Jim Weiss, W2O Group is an independent network of complementary marketing, communications, research and development firms focused on integrated business solutions to drive change and growth through "pragmatic disruption" for the world's leading brands and organizations. W2O Group serves clients through a network of firms – WCG, Twist, Brewlife and W2O Ventures – through offices in San Francisco, New York, Austin, Los Angeles, London, and Minneapolis. For more information on W2O, please visit http://w2ogroup.com.
