The Difference Collective Boosts Its Creative and Media Offerings

Virtual healthcare specialist The Difference Collective has announced that two of its senior freelance consultants have joined its Core Collective team heading up its Media and Creative offerings.

Former Ruder Finn UK Creative Director Stuart Mayell has been made Head of the Creative Difference and former Daily Express Health Editor Jo Willey is now Collective Media Maestro. These are the first new appointments to the Core team since The Collective was launched last year by Virgo Health co-founder Angie Wiles.

This expansion of the Core Collective team highlights the ongoing growth and success of the virtual healthcare communications consultancy and is testament to the commitment of the Collective to provide top-level creative and media expertise for its expanding client base.

Wiles said: “I am thrilled to announce that Stuart and Jo are now Core Collective members, in recognition of the significant leadership, direction and insights they can provide for all our clients. At least 50 per cent of the work we have done since we launched has had a media component to it, so having someone with Jo’s capability, depth and breadth of ‘inside’ experience is such a crucial appointment for us and our client base.

“Meanwhile creative content development is absolutely crucial to stand out in a more integrated and noisy healthcare communications world. Stuart is unrivalled in his ability to help our broad range of clients define exciting new propositions, ideas and brand personalities, giving us critical cutting-edge creative direction constantly at our Core.

“We now have more than 50 freelance consultants in the Collective which clearly shows there is an increasing appetite for senior communications experts to work in a collective, collaborative, productive manner. The Core team bring their external expertise and insight from their sectors directly to our clients as well as maintain and drive the quality standards and engagement of the wider Collective team.”

The Difference Collective, which in January was named one of the seven new UK PR agencies to watch in 2018 by PR Week, is going from strength to strength in its first year of trading with clients including Boehringer Ingelheim, Bayer, EFPIA, HRA Pharma and Dianax EU.

Willey said: “I am extremely proud and honoured to join the Core members of this incredible Collective which has broken the mould to bring together some of the truly most talented, experienced, dedicated and enthusiastic communications experts I have worked with.

“At a time when top talent is constantly being lost across the media and communications industry because of out-dated, inflexible working models, it is inspiring to be a part of a Collective of fellow freelancers doing what we love when we want to do it. I look forward to bringing my expertise to clients current and new as well as helping guide other Collective members as we continue to #WorkDifferently.”

Mayell added: “With apologies to Groucho, I’d never wanted to be in a club that would have me as a member. Until now. It is inspiring to work with such talented people in a genuinely collaborative way. To have those same people respect your contribution enough to embrace you even closer is humbling.”