Melbourne Social Co launches ATTN.CTRL as global attention agency

Melbourne Social Co has launched a second agency, ATTN.CTRL, positioning itself as a global attention agency built to help brands navigate fragmented media environments by shifting focus from channel-led planning to what it calls "attention architecture."

The new agency launches with offices in Melbourne, Sydney, New York, and London and introduces a four-part strategic framework - earn, hold, amplify, and convert attention - designed to integrate social, PR, paid media, influencer marketing, events, and cultural moments into a unified system.

Shelley Friesen, founder of Melbourne Social Co, said the launch represents a structural evolution built on 15 years of delivery.

"We've reached a point where attention, not channel, is the defining currency of effectiveness. This structure allows us to scale globally, while staying focused on delivering meaningful impact in an increasingly fragmented media landscape," Friesen said.

First appointment signals global ambitions

ATTN.CTRL has made its first key hire, appointing Jess Randall as VP of Global Projects. Randall joins from Adairs, where she served as marketing manager, bringing experience across campaign planning, brand architecture, and large-scale marketing operations.

"Brands are competing for attention in more places than ever before," Randall said. "What attracted me to ATTN.CTRL is its focus on building strategies around how people actually engage today, rather than being confined by traditional channel thinking."

The agency draws on Melbourne Social Co's portfolio of more than 1,000 client partnerships, including Xero, Bonds, and Lifely.

Main image: Jess Randall and Shelley Friesen

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