Francis Coady, former chief marketing and content officer at Havas Media Network has launched a new marcoms advisory and original content creation company, Grand Pacific Entertainment & Advisory, in Sydney, based at Disney Studios.
Grand Pacific Entertainment & Advisory sets itself apart from traditional agencies or consultancies by fusing entertainment principles into every brand experience. It aims to turn generic corporate strategies into impactful narratives that resonate with stakeholders, employees, and customer. At the core of the company’s philosophy is the belief that every interaction with a business is an opportunity to deepen connections. By building consistent, positive, and purposeful entertainment brand moments, businesses can transform from the inside out, fostering a strong, cohesive culture that leads to success.
“I created this company to truly take hold of the transformative power of entertainment. Every company has meaningful stories that deserve to be showcased,” explained Grand Pacific Entertainment & Advisory founder & CEO, Francis Coady. “Our deep expertise lies in discovering these unique narratives and turning them into entertaining experiences that engage audiences on an emotional level.”
Grand Pacific Entertainment & Advisory approaches each brand project as if evaluating a film, TV show, or song, prioritising storytelling, audience connection, and emotional engagement. Their strategies bring plans to life through captivating, branded content, immersive events, holistic advertising, and strategic partnerships. Grand Pacific Advisory will focus on a core series of services – strategic insights and market intelligence, full-service commercial advertising across OSEP channels, branded content creation, podcast and broadcast production.
It will also develop and fund original scripted drama, documentaries, comedy, music, and podcasts, aiming to forge powerful creative partnerships locally and worldwide, with the scripted slate being represented by global entertainment group William Morris Endeavour (WME) out of London.
Francis Coady has already achieved remarkable successes in the entertainment industry, managing famous acts such as Thirsty Merc (Warner/Atlantic) and global act Hi-5, leading to double-platinum albums, extensive large-scale touring, and securing major TV, film, and partnership deals. He also founded and executive produced the highly regarded Bondi Short Film Festival for thirteen years, that became a cornerstone event for discovering and supporting emerging film talent in Australia. As general manager at Merchantwise Group, he worked with major film studios to create large-scale content partnerships.
Coady launched and oversaw Havas Sports & Entertainment group (Havas/Vivendi), where he created and executive produced the multi award-winning content series The Long Road, starring Guy Sebastian and Amy Shark and amassing millions of views. He has worked with leading national brands including Gillette, Avis Budget Group, Red Bull, Kayo, and Destination NSW.
In 2021, Coady became chief marketing and content officer at Havas Media Network in Australia, overseeing all content and communications while managing key client relationships and leading a team of over 150 members.
“Grand Pacific Entertainment & Advisory has hit the ground, and stage for that matter, running with fantastic uptake from clients including Veterans Film Foundation, Komo Technologies, GolfSpace Australia, and Chisel who have understood and greatly benefited from the power of unlocking the principles of entertainment to emotionally connect with their audiences. I can’t wait to share some of the work we are doing,” Coady added.
