Strategic and creative consultancy Matter Unlimited has brought MJ Deery on board as creative director of story and Ella Crivello as director of client partnerships. Both join Matter as brand purpose emerges as a business imperative, with companies facing challenges in delivering social impact–an area that has been the focus of Matter’s expertise since its inception.
Deery has spent more than 20 years at the intersection of brand insight and human truth, working with brands ranging from Gap, Inc. and eBay to smaller start-ups in tech and fashion. Most recently, she pioneered the brand purpose practice at San Francisco independent ad agency, Duncan Channon. There, she led award-winning work for The California Department of Public Health, educating the public on the tobacco industry’s ruthless targeting of kids, the Black community, and members of LGBTQ+. She also spearheaded an integrated vote-by-mail campaign to fight voter suppression during the pandemic, winning two Clios while fostering a diverse, empowered electorate and a socially-oriented governmental body. As Matter’s CD of Story, Deery will continue to prioritize storytelling that results in effective action, crafting and stewarding brand voice and narrative for clients.
“There aren’t very many agencies that are truly dedicated to brand purpose and social impact at the level of Matter,” said Deery. “They’ve been at this for more than 10 years and have built a track record as a trusted source. That’s what really excited me about joining the team.
“Now, more than ever, it’s incumbent upon brands to take action and be a part of our broader social conversation because they have influence,” she continued. “They can move culture in a way that is healthier, more sustainable, and more fair for every segment of our population. I can’t wait to work with the Matter team to tell the stories that can lead to broader change.”
Crivello is similarly passionate about building bridges between brand needs and social causes, spending the majority of her career in sales and partnership roles. Before joining Matter, she was the head of impact at Summer, a B Corp looking to solve the student debt crisis via tech. As director of partnerships at Company Ventures, a purpose-driven tech campus and incubator with an emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion, she led partnerships with Mastercard, Microsoft, GE and more. Crivello’s career is rooted in the nonprofit sector with experience at charity: water, Clinton Global Initiative and as a longtime leader for the partnerships program, TED Institute. At TED, Crivello managed content from conferences across five continents–from TED talks, branded short films to advertising on the TED site–as well as partnerships with a range of Fortune 100 brands like IBM and Merck.
“Matter knows that social impact isn’t just something that businesses can quickly add to their CSR goals. This is something that can and should be deeply integrated into the business model of every company,” said Crivello. “I want to make sure that we are the destination for any organization looking to set their social impact strategy–not only with campaigns, but with smart resources and action plans to sustain it over the long term. It’s an incredibly exciting time to join a team that really supports and helps organizations to define what impact means for them.”
Rob Holzer, Matter Unlimited founder and CEO, added, “Many brands and organizations are now coming to terms with the value of actively engaging with a world that desperately needs them to step up. MJ and Ella are two people that have spent their careers as leaders in brand-building – with the passion and skill to help clients make an impact. Now, as a part of our team, they’ll further strengthen our ability to partner with clients in new ways, offering them innovative solutions in a quickly evolving landscape.”
