Duncan Channon names MJ Deery as Director, Purpose Practice

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – April 11, 2017 – San Francisco integrated advertising agency Duncan Channon, a 2016 Ad Age Small Agency of the Year, today announced the hire of MJ Deery as director of the agency’s new social purpose practice. In this newly created role, Deery will serve as one of Duncan Channon’s key creative and strategic leaders with a focus on social purpose strategy and program development for clients.

MJ Deery, Director of Purpose Practice, Duncan Channon

“In an increasingly connected world and our current political climate, a brand’s values, actions and social impact matter more to consumers and employees than they arguably ever have,” said Michael Lemme, chief creative officer and partner, Duncan Channon. “We’ve always pushed for brands to matter more by building deeper, trusting relationships between our clients and their customers, so creating a dedicated purpose practice is a natural evolution for us. For our clients, it’s no longer optional or a side project. It’s a vital component of a healthy brand.”

MJ previously worked with Duncan Channon as a freelance creative director on client and new business assignments, and will report to Lemme in her new role. She is tasked with bringing the agency’s point-of-view on the essential role of social purpose in brand and marketing to current clients, developing purpose strategy and programs, and leading new business efforts in this category.

“We’ve always marveled at MJ’s gift for strategic insight, creative leadership and artful storytelling, but it became clear we needed to create a purpose-driven role for her when she revealed a deep personal passion and understanding of how consumer expectations, social media and politics are transforming the role of brands as citizens,” added Lemme.

Prior to joining Duncan Channon, Deery had most recently worked as a freelance creative director. Before that, she served as a creative director at Mekanism where she worked on campaigns for Nordstrom, Jim Beam and Alaska Airlines. Her brand-side experience includes copywriting roles at Gap and Levi’s Strauss & Co. She earned an MFA in creative writing and literature, and has published short stories in literary journals around the country.

“The agency’s campaigns to call out big tobacco for the California Tobacco Control Program and to herald doctors who actually listen for John Muir Health showed me they make work that matters,” said Deery. “Duncan Channon was the first agency I pitched to create this role because of their work and our shared perspective on how human connections, transparency and values shape our experience.”

Duncan Channon, one of Ad Age’s 2016 Small Agencies of the Year, aligned its leadership team and refreshed its brand in October 2016 to position the agency for growth. Since then, Duncan Channon has added Grubhub, Helix and So Delicious to its client roster. The agency also earned honors for its “Wake Up” public health campaign for the California Tobacco Control Program, including a Silver Effie, Best in Show at the Healthcare Marketing IMPACT Awards presented by Modern Healthcare and Advertising Age, Campaign of the Year from the San Francisco Bay Area Innovation Group and a Pixel Award for the campaign’s website StillBlowingSmoke.org.

About Duncan Channon

A 2016 Ad Age Small Agency of the Year, Duncan Channon (duncanchannon.com) is an independent, integrated advertising and design agency based in San Francisco. The agency’s philosophy of guanxi, the belief that clients and staff, brands and customers all win when they build real, trusting relationships, underpins a specialty in re-launching brands. Founded in 1990, Duncan Channon is best known for turning StubHub into a household name, transforming the Esurance brand and educating the public on the dangers of e-cigarettes with its award-winning “Wake Up” campaign. Current clients include Grubhub, Kettle Brand, So Delicious, Ebates, Kona Brewing, Redhook, John Muir Health, DriveTime, Tahoe South, Sonoma-Cutrer Wines and the California Tobacco Control Program, among others.