Hemisphere hires Mason as brand strategist
Manchester design and marketing agency Hemisphere has hired Neil Mason as brand strategist.
Mason was previously a senior strategist at London-based brand consultancy Figtree and has worked on brand development and implementation for clients including Orange, Blackberry and Yahoo.
Before Figtree he worked in strategic roles for healthcare design and branding specialists Pearson Matthews and the consultancy Innovia Technology.
At Hemisphere Mason will work alongside marketing director, Sue Vanden, across the agency's full range of clients which include Metrolink, Imperial War Museum North, the Northwest Regional Development Agency and Manchester Central Convention Complex.
Vanden said the appointment brings to an end a long search to bolster the agency's strategic branding offer.
She said: "We’ve spent a long time searching for the right person, and Neil is a great fit for our requirements, deepening our expertise and allowing us to meet the demand for the strategic approach to branding and design challenges that we know our clients value us for.
"Large scale branding projects, involving both a high level of strategic analysis and substantial amounts of stakeholder engagement, are Hemisphere’s area of specialism so bringing in a dedicated brand strategist such as Neil will significantly enhance the team. We’re delighted to welcome him on board.”
Mason, a former Northumbria University student, said he wanted to return to the north and Hemisphere's brand specialism and reputation "stood out".
He said: “Building strong brands requires a combination of effective strategy, inspired creativity and detailed execution. I wanted to return to my northern roots and Hemisphere stood out as a true brand specialist with a strong reputation for creating ‘big picture’ solutions.”