Thoughtful Media appoints PT Black as senior creative director

Black will be based in Shanghai and will manage critical aspects of the company’s media licenses, character development and online programming. He is also responsible for building TMG's creative department in Greater China.

Black has a broad range of experience working with advertisers and creative agencies in key areas such as beverages, luxury, retail, spirits and sportswear. He is also known as an authority on lifestyle and cultural changes taking place in China.

"PT's background in client-based consumer research, combined with his deep understanding for the mechanics of audience targeting make him a terrific fit for Thoughtful," said Jak Severson, TMG's CEO in Los Angeles.

Before joining Thoughtful Media, Black was an independent researcher and brand consultant for major multinational companies expanding in China. From 2004 to mid-2010, he was a partner at Jigsaw International, a consumer research firm in Shanghai that was acquired by Omnicom Group's Hall & Partners division in 2008. Before that, he worked at the mobile phone division of Siemens in Shanghai for two years.

"Recent years have seen radical change in the relationship between marketers and their audiences, especially here in China," Black said. "I was so excited to hear how the team at Thoughtful Media approaches this issue, and to explore the implications together. In my new role I look forward to developing great creative ideas by having great conversations with our audiences."

In mid February, Thoughtful Media Group (TMG) also appointed Normandy Madden as senior vice-president of content development for Asia-Pacific.