Publicis' Spark Hires Youth Research Specialist

Publicis-owned full-service media agency Spark has appointed youth research specialist Scott Hess for the new role of SVP / Human Intelligence and Research, charged with boosting the 'emotional relevance and effectiveness' of the firm's research practice.

Spark offers insights and understanding of brands, competitors, communications and consumers through proprietary brand and consumer research and access to real-time consumer views.

Hess joins after nearly a decade serving as VP of Insights at WPP-owned youth research agency TRU, focusing on the teen, twenty-something and millennial segments via both syndicated and custom research divisions. Before this, he worked at online music provider Tunes.com, where he led the creation of sites such as RollingStone.com, TheSource.com, and DownBeatJazz.com. He began his career at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture).

In his new Chicago-based role, Hess will report to Spark CEO Chris Boothe, who comments: 'Scott's passion for understanding human behavior is certain to help us look beneath the surface to drive the effectiveness of experience planning. He has a unique understanding of the interplay of media and consumers, as well as how to apply that knowledge strategically in service of brands.'

Web site: www.sparksmg.com .