Sprint has chosen an executive creative director to run a new internal agency, a move that comes as the company works to cut costs across the board.
The agency, called YellowFan Studios, will be housed inside Sprint's headquarters and will be run by Christopher Ian Bennett. He first arrived at Sprint as director of innovation and creative media in August 2015. Prior to that, he worked at a number of companies in various roles, including as a corporate communications executive and public affairs exec at Guitar Center and Best Buy.
The new agency has hired about 30 people and expects to hire 30 more, according to the company.
In his new role, Mr. Bennett will oversee the creative direction of Sprint, which the company said will be taking a new direction in 2016. He is "is the new leader of Sprint's creative vision for 2016," the company said in an email. "Whether in public relations or the political arena, the music business or digital media, his award-winning, 20-year career as a creative communicator is as eclectic as it is unique."
At YellowFan, Mr. Bennett will pursue "a bold new creative strategy" this year, including a "re-imagination" of social media, branded content, experiential marketing "and an exciting new focus on consumer storytelling," Sprint said. The agency "has full creative responsibility for the Overland Park, Kan.-based mobile carrier providing film and print production, design and all other creative services," it said.
A spokeswoman declined to detail what the new marketing strategy and creative will look like.