After significant growth and some major account wins, marketing agency Tug has added Schekina Israel to its leadership team as head of biddable media.

In her new role, Israel will oversee the paid media team and a portfolio of “blue chip” clients – some recent wins include Mary Browns, Long and McQuade and the Rotman School of Management. She will also lead channel expansion into digital advertising platforms like connected TV, Amazon DSP and The Trade Desk to provide clients with exponential audience reach.

Israel will be joining the company’s Toronto office at a time, she says, when restructuring existing media processes is important. “Because of the global pandemic we’re seeing unprecedented changes in the industry, locally and worldwide, providing a good structural basis that will give us the edge to meet client demands,” she explains.

Sophie Brooks, Tug’s managing director, adds that the agency’s Toronto team – which has a strong focus on SEO and paid media – has grown significantly and needed a team leader to step up its capabilities. She adds that Israel brings digital experience using new creative solutions in media to the agency’s team.

Israel’s experience has a strong focus on data, adopting new processes, channels and different trading desks. She was most recently a senior media manager with Adparlor, working with clients such York University, Kids Help Phone and Scentbird.

Brooks adds that the company hopes to overcome the challenge of proving what its areas of expertise – programmatic,  search and paid social – can offer clients. Tug’s paid media team is highly data-led, and implements campaigns which are highly trackable and ROI-focused.

For the future, the company will continue to focus on those areas, as well as emerging ones like digital OOH and connected TV placements.

“We really believe in the ability for these new programmatic channels,” says Brooks. “They can do really well for our clients, we’re already seeing really great results.”