WPP digital agency Mirum has hired John Bruning as its new technical director.
Bruning will oversee all tech teams on the company’s Mazda America account, meaning he will work across both Mirum and Garage Team Mazda, the Costa Mesa-based agency established in 2010 and dedicated to the client.
Here’s a fun line: “John’s role will involve overseeing the health, happiness and productivity of technical teams involved in Mazda North America across all offices from both a Mirum and The Garage Team Mazda perspective.”
His career to date has primarily concerned software development roles, but he spent a good bit of time overseeing the Mazda account at Hearst agency iCrossing, so he’s quite familiar with the organization.
“For over a decade, I was technical lead on the Mazda account under iCrossing,” Bruning said. “And it’s amazing to see how the brand and the product line up has started to transform into a more sophisticated and smart alternative to premium. I’m excited to be back working on Mazda, as the Technology Director, under Garage Team Mazda and Mirum. And look forward to helping further the brand.”
He replaces Sasha Pfandt, who had been Mirum’s VP of engineering before heading to Delphic Digital in Philadelphia earlier this year.
Earlier this year, Garage Team Mazda hired Erich Funke as its new chief creative officer replacing Harvey Marco, who left last fall.
The latest news from Mazda concerns an internal combustion engine that the company claims will be 20 percent more efficient. Garage Team will, presumably, soon produce campaigns repeating that claim.