Digital Marketing Agency Sonar Group Launches

Alistair Ward, former client services director at Isobar, and Scott Heron, former chief digital officer at Cummins&Partners, have joined forces to create Sonar Group, a digitally-led agency for the modern-day marketer. 

Sonar’s arrival aims to provide a unique offering to the agency landscape; with a simple focus to help businesses improve the performance of their digital marketing to grow their bottom lines.

“There are plenty of agencies who work to help clients meet their business objectives, but we are comfortable to put our skin in the game and offer to have our remuneration directly linked to our clients’ success,” said Ward.
With over 30 years of national and international digital marketing experience between them, Heron and Ward have successfully led teams across major brands including Ford, Jetstar, ANZ, Nokia, GSK, TM Lewin, CARE, and Australia Post. Their knowledge and experience working with external agency partners is the foundation of Sonar.

Work will be delivered via a network of specialty communications and technology providers, based both locally and globally.

“Active collaboration is a core feature of Sonar and plays an important role in how we work,” explains Ward. “By minimising our overheads and leveraging specific expert services tailored to our clients’ needs, we ensure that we are delivering the ‘A team’ to every client, on every brief, rather than the team that’s available at that particular time.”

Sonar is working with clients in the retail, technology, and financial services sectors and is actively pursuing other engagements within government, healthcare, education and not-for-profit.

“These industry sectors can immediately benefit from an ROI-focused communications strategy and the design of experiences that truly meet their customer’s needs,” said Heron.

Heron says Sonar will cut across media-focused performance agencies, systems integrators and digital creative agencies to develop a holistic view of its client’s marketing initiatives and map them back to business objectives.

“Alistair and I are both super excited to bring our combined experience and innovative delivery approach to the Australian market and look forward to adding real value to our client’s businesses through Sonar. And unless it’s the Effies, you won’t see us at any award shows,” added Heron.