• by Joe Mandese , October 5, 2006

Real Branding, a hot interactive shop based in San Francisco and New York has raided its second top Carat executive in as many months, tapping Marti Funk as its new media director. Frank, who had been media director at Carat Fusion, led the brand teams for clients such as Kodak, Amp'd Mobile, Gap and palmOne.

Funk joins Real Branding two months after Cory Treffiletti landed at the agency as vice president-media, after bolting a top digital media role at Carat Fusion earlier this year. Treffiletti, who is a MediaPost columnist and member of the Online Spin, had been senior vice president and engagement architect at Carat Fusion.

The moves mark something of an exodus from Carat Fusion, part of parent Aegis Group's burgeoning Isobar digital media network.

In July, Greg Smith left as executive vice president-media insights, planning and analysis of Carat Fusion to become COO for North America at NeoOgilvy.

Real Branding, meanwhile, has been bulking up on big name media, creative and account management talent from major shops.

In addition to Funk's announcement on Wednesday, the agency named Patricia Galea, a veteran of Team One/Saatchi & Saatchi, RPA and Agency.com, as a group account director.