AKQA Poaches Agency.com Exec for Media Services Push

AKQA, an agency best known for creative services, has plucked Scott Symonds away from Agency.com to ramp up its media and search business.

Symonds, whose title is executive media director, will focus in particular on ramping up AKQA’s search and mobile offerings, and in general on growing media services in the agency’s home and satellite offices.

“We’re not looking to go out and create a huge traditional offering, but our clients are asking for more integrated media ideas,” Andrew O’Dell, AKQA’s president of interactive marketing, told ClickZ News. “Our vision is to be known as an idea agency. It’s not necessarily creative or media.”

While media has always been a “significant” part of the agency’s business, he said “it hasn’t been as big a part as we would’ve liked.”

AKQA’s previous head of media, Group Media Director Dianne Hayashi, will continue in her role. She’ll retain internal oversight of the agency’s media arm, while Symonds will be more of an “an external force,” according to O’Dell.

O’Dell added he courted Symonds for about eight months before convincing him to disembark from Agency.com last month.