Francis Coady, former Chief Marketing and Content Officer at Havas Media Network Australia, has announced the launch of his new venture, Grand Pacific Entertainment & Advisory.

The Sydney-based company, situated at Disney Studios, will focus on marcoms advisory and original content creation, diverging from traditional agency or consultancy models by integrating entertainment principles into every brand experience.

Grand Pacific Entertainment & Advisory aims to harness the power of entertainment and storytelling within the advertising and communications industry to create strong audience connections for brands. The company will offer services including strategic insights and market intelligence, full-service commercial advertising across OSEP channels, branded content creation, and podcast and broadcast production.

In addition, Grand Pacific Entertainment will develop and fund original scripted drama, documentaries, comedy, music, and podcasts. The scripted slate will be represented by global entertainment group William Morris Endeavour (WME) out of London.

"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 Coady. "Our deep expertise lies in discovering these unique narratives and turning them into entertaining experiences that engage audiences on an emotional level.”

Coady has a notable career in the entertainment industry, managing iconic acts like Thirsty Merc and Hi-5, founding and executive producing the Bondi Short Film Festival, and working with major film studios to create large-scale content partnerships. In 2021, Coady became Chief Marketing and Content Officer at Havas Media Network in Australia, managing all content and communications and key client relationships.

Grand Pacific Entertainment & Advisory has already begun working with clients including Veterans Film Foundation, Komo Technologies, GolfSpace Australia, and Chisel.

“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 said.