Joe Zandstra to boost iris Singapore’s focus on digital, retail and experiential
iris Singapore has appointed Joe Zandstra as its new Regional Digital Director, boosting the agency’s overall digital capability with specific executional expertise across the areas of mobile marketing and app/utility development.
Zandstra joins iris from MCD Partners in New York where as Creative Director, he has implemented a range of innovative digital marketing, social and website strategies and solutions for brands such as E*TRADE, Nautica and Discover Card. He moves back to Singapore having spent 10 years in the country as Creative Director for both XM Asia Pacific and Qais Consulting where he led projects for Sony, Hilton, HP and VISA, amongst others.
Zandstra’s appointment comes at a time when iris is looking for new ways to leverage digital
technologies to link the online universe with real-world, physical experiences. With the rise of
content-based marketing, providing real value to the consumer has become an important
means to drive meaningful engagement.
“Joe comes to iris with a really strong understanding of new technologies and how they can
positively impact on people’s lives in APAC. He has great skills in simplifying complex problems and we’re very confident that our clients, and their consumers, will see immediate value in his contributions,” said Craig Mapleston, Managing Director, iris Singapore.
Sharing his sentiments on the move, Zandstra added, “My previous roles at pure-play digital
agencies caused a disconnect in my mind because digital and physical media in peoples’ lives
are so fluid and interconnected. As an agency that creates true participation brands, iris gives
me the opportunity to innovate with digital in its natural context as part of a bigger whole
alongside other media and in the physical world – in retail, during events, on the street.”
Zandstra will head the digital efforts for iris Singapore for clients including Diageo, adidas, Tiger, Shell, Heineken, Audi, Standard Chartered and SingTel.