McCann has named Brendan Gaul as Global Chief Entertainment Officer, bringing his award-winning original entertainment company TRAVERSE32 from IPG Mediabrands in a move that signals the agency’s growing push into long-form branded storytelling.
Reporting directly to McCann and McCann Worldgroup Global CEO Daryl Lee, Gaul will continue as Global President of TRAVERSE32, where he’s built a track record of developing high-impact brand entertainment. His work on The Final Copy of Ilon Specht, produced with McCann and Breakwater Studios, won the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Film and multiple other Lions this year — his second Grand Prix win.
“Brendan is truly a pioneer of brand entertainment,” said Lee. “His arrival brings original content development into the heart of McCann and our global creative community.”
Javier Campopiano, McCann’s Global Chief Creative Officer, added, “Brendan and his team will be critical in helping us bring brand truths to life in every arena of creativity — and yes, that means more movies.”
Gaul’s move is a homecoming — he began his career at McCann in 2002 before building branded content divisions at J3, UM, and IPG Mediabrands, and launching TRAVERSE32 in 2020. Notable projects include Dear Santa, a USPS holiday documentary turned TV series, and 5B, a Johnson & Johnson doc about the first AIDS ward in San Francisco, both festival winners.
TRAVERSE32 has projects in development with Imagine Entertainment, Breakwater Studios, Blink49, and Helium, and is repped by CAA.
McCann’s recent entertainment wins include a Gold Lion for Mastercard’s music partnership with Lady Gaga and multiple Lions for Xbox’s Deadpool & Wolverine integration. With Gaul’s return, McCann is doubling down on original entertainment to deepen brand-audience connections — and to prove culture-making isn’t just a tagline.
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