Worfolk-Smith, who has also held senior roles with companies including leading ad platform Unruly and global content studio Talenthouse, will lead the AI-powered ad research company’s growth strategy.
DAIVID, based in London, helps brands and agencies maximise the effectiveness of their ads using emotional AI. The creative measurement platform uses a suite of advanced technologies – including facial coding, eye tracking and computer vision – to advise advertisers on how to optimise the emotional impact and attention generated by their ad campaigns. Clients include Mediacom and ADK Marketing Solutions.
Worfolk-Smith brings to the role a wealth of experience of growing companies throughout his career, which spans over two decades. Before joining DAIVID, Barney built Megadog, a thriving go-to-market consultancy for start and scale-ups. Prior to that, he was Business Director at social creative agency That Lot, which he helped grow from a start-up until its sale to Weber Shandwick in 2018. He has also held senior positions at ChannelFlip and the RealPlayer.
He has immersed himself in London’s start-up community, investing in several creative technology businesses and as a Venture Partner at London’s most active seed investor, Ascension Ventures.
Worfolk-Smith’s new role means a reunion with his former Unruly colleague Ian Forrester, the CEO and founder of DAIVD. The pair worked together at the leading advertising platform when Worfolk-Smith was Head of Creative Solutions and Forrester was Global SVP, Insight and Solutions.
Worfolk-Smith said: “For so many reasons, I’m over the moon to be working with Ian and the team here at DAIVID. We’re building the world’s most sophisticated engine in understanding the WHY of advertising effectiveness. The time is right for access to actionable creative effectiveness insights at speed and scale. Our customers know it’s important, and we’re already delivering hugely valuable insight, which we want to put in the hands of every advertiser in just a few clicks.”
He added: “I’m also not going to hide my excitement at working with Ian again. We share values and vision and get on just as well as when we started working together at Unruly on the same day back in 2012.”
Ian Forrester, CEO and founder of DAIVID, said “The world is full of platitudes proclaiming the most exciting thing ever. HOWEVER, this time I really mean it. I literally could not be more excited to announce that Barney is joining DAIVID today as EMEA, MD.
Starting on the same day together at Unruly in 2012, Barney and I became great friends and battle buddies. We took the industry by storm with a totally new technique that could predict the virality of videos. So, it’s most fitting that we are joining forces again to bring DAIVID’s revolutionary AI-based approach to market.”
Worfolk-Smith joins at an exciting time for the London-based advertising research platform. The company signed a global partnership with MediaCom last year and in 2022 has launched in Japan, Singapore and the US.