SAN FRANCISCO  —  W2O Group has launched an organic and paid search optimization focus as part of its media and engagement practice, in addition to making several hires.

Sri Nagubandi joined as director of search from Razorfish where he led organic and paid search and social optimization. Doug Rockhill joined W2O digital as an executive creative director from Rosetta where he led the East Coast creative team, working on key accounts including Microsoft, Allergan and Pilot Pen. At W20, he will head the creative and user experience teams in New York and Austin, reporting to W2O Group’s newly-appointed chief creative officer Mike Hartman. Dean McBeth also joined as group director of media and engagement.

“Through ‘storytizing,’ which is replacing advertising as we know it today, a brand, company or cause can now share its story in greater depth and dimension directly to the right people in real time,” said Bob Pearson, president od W2O Group. “This evolution requires strength in analytics and insights to reach the most desirable target audiences and to ensure that the story and associated assets can be created and changed relatively quickly.”