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August 27, 2008

Phorm Appoints Digital Agency TBG London for B2B Help

ISP-based behavioral targeting company Phorm has hired digital agency TBG London for a helping hand with its B2B marketing efforts.

Speaking with me earlier today, a Phorm spokesperson said, "There is huge interest in our technology and its possibilities. TBG is helping us develop several propositions that draw on these capabilities for their presentation to a number of our business partners."

The spokesperson said the relationship was intended purely to aid Phorm in "bringing ideas to life," adding that no ad campaign was currently in the pipeline.

In the U.K., Phorm has already signed deals with major ISP's including Talk Talk, BT and Virgin Media, though none have started using the technology yet. BT originally said in April they would conduct trials “in the near future,” but have continued to postpone them.

Posted by Jack Marshall at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack

August 11, 2008

R/GA Builds New Digital Branding Shop, Hires TBWA's Shillum

R/GA set up R/GA Brand Design, to address the shift of branding in the digital age. The new division takes into account early consumer impressions, if not first impressions, including when a prospective customer lands on a Web site to find out more about a brand or product. "As brand-consumer relationships shift to the digital sphere, the responsibility of brand perception is shifting to digital agencies," R/GA said in a statement.

The agency's core competency has always been digital, and has later expanded to encompass TV and other media. The Brand Design shop will include branded interfaces for online, mobile, retail, and out-of-home. R/GA Brand Design takes into account user experience such as visuals, sounds, movement and navigation. Marc Shillum was hired by the agency as director of brand design to lead the practice. He was creative director at TBWA London, where he worked on the pan-European Sony Playstation software account. In the past he also worked at Wieden + Kennedy in London.

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July 24, 2008

Publicis Acquires Korean Agency Portfolio

Publicis Groupe announced recently it has acquired South-Korean full-service digital agency Portfolio, adding to the group's existing Asian operations in Beijing, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Taiwan, and New Delhi.

The agency will be integrated with Publicis' existing digital global network, Publicis Modem, and re-branded as Publicis Modem Korea.

Portfolio currently provides services such as site development, and search and display campaigns for major international brands including Microsoft Korea, Marriott Hotels, and Nissan.

In a statement, Martin Reidy, CEO of Publicis Modem, said, "Asia is a critical market for Publicis Modem and a key part of our global expansion," citing the group's strategy of targeting high growth international markets.

Publicis has acquired two major Chinese digital players in the past year -- EmporioAsia in May, and Communication Central Group last July.

The Group also released second quarter results today, claiming it's on track to reach its aim of generating a quarter of revenues from digital by 2010. Digital constituted 18.8 percent of business in the first half of the year, up from 12.7 percent the previous year.

Posted by Jack Marshall at 11:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 10, 2008

WPP Goes Hostile for TNS, With Counter-Offer from GfK

German market research group GfK is putting together a cash offer for rival firm TNS (Taylor Nelson Sofres), in response to a hostile bid from Martin Sorrell's WPP launched yesterday.

WPP has offered £1.1 billion ($2.1 billion), after previous offers were snubbed by the company's board.

In response, GfK has issued a release stating it is terminating its own proposed merger with TNS, which has been in discussion since April, and will pursue "a proposal which would involve an alternative all-cash offer being made" with anonymous financial backing.

Although talks are still in early stages, GfK says it has received "strong indications of interest in such a transaction."

WPP made a significant step into the online ad arena with its acquisition of 24/7 Real Media last year, and TNS's online media research capabilities could complement 24/7's range of digital ad offerings, which include search marketing and a display ad network.

While some have suggested that the $2.1 billion price tag overvalues TNS in such a cautious financial climate, others believe market research will remain relatively healthy in an economic slump, fuelled by the concerns of nervous advertisers looking to validate campaign decisions.

Posted by Jack Marshall at 4:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 20, 2008

Aegis Buys Thai Search Firm

Aegis Group has added a new international outpost to Isobar's iProspect search marketing unit. The purchase of Globlet in Thailand brings the division regional expertise in retail, technology, healthcare and real estate marketing for search environments. The agency will be rebranded iProspect Thailand.

Isobar already has a Thai outpost, online media planning and site development firm Digithais, which it acquired in 2005. It has completed work in the region for clients such as Coca-Cola, adidas, Honda and Nivea.

Posted by Zachary Rodgers at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 16, 2008

Publicis Experiences Strong Digital Growth

French advertising group Publicis is experiencing strong growth in interactive, according to its CEO Maurice Levy.

In an interview with French business daily La Tribune, reported by Reuters, Levy said the group was on track to beat its target of generating 25 percent of its sales from online by 2010.

"In the first three months of the year, 18 percent of our sales came from the (Internet) and the interactive sector," he said.

"We had fixed the objective of reaching 25 percent by 2010 and we will make it. The same thing goes for emerging markets, we're already at 21.3 percent," he continued.

Levy attributed the group's strong digital position to the acquisition of Digitas last year, and also stated that the deal with Google, announced in January, offered "strong potential."

He added that Publicis has "quite a lot of growth and some investments to make" in emerging markets, to be funded by 3 billion euros ($4.60 billion) in cash or available credit.

Posted by Jack Marshall at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 23, 2008

Agencies Cut Ad Production Costs With Offshoring

Creative agencies are increasingly opting to outsource their production work to overseas firms, in order to minimize costs and maximize profits, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Companies from territories such as Eastern Europe, South America, and Asia, have adopted effective and lucrative business models, carrying out behind the scenes ad production work for major agencies at substantially lower prices.

With online advertising becoming increasingly global and targeted, hundreds of ad variations may be needed for any one campaign. Agencies still dictate creative for ads, specifying images, copy and animation, but then outsource the labor-intensive and time-consuming process of actually putting the ads together or building ad elements.

According to the WSJ, agency execs pay 20 percent to 50 percent less using overseas firms for this production, compared to what they would pay in the U.S.

Publicis Groupe's Digitas has even created a dedicated digital-production company, Prodigious Worldwide, responsible for overseeing offshore production. The unit's providers include avVenta, with offices in South America and Eastern Europe, and Kiev-based DDM among others.

Posted by Jack Marshall at 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack

May 19, 2008

Digital Vet to Helm WPP's In Vitro Agency for Dell

WPP poached the president of Digitas Boston to head up the new integrated global agency it's launching for Dell. Torrence Boone takes over the holding company's so-called Project Da Vinci, a made-from-scratch agency confection that will consolidate Dell's worldwide creative and marketing strategy account.

The 38-year-old CEO will be based in the new firm's New York headquarters and report directly to WPP Chief Martin Sorrell.

Sorrell said in a statement that Boone's seven-year background creating integrated ad programs at Digitas, and before that at Avenue A, made him the perfect candidate for the job. "His deep experience across multiple marketing disciplines and his reputation as a developer of innovative marketing programs make him uniquely qualified to lead Project Da Vinci as we focus on reinventing the approach for integrated marketing services," Sorrell said.

The agency will go after non-Dell accounts as well, of course. Sorrell: "We believe that Project Da Vinci will provide a template for other clients with similar desires."

Posted by Zachary Rodgers at 5:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 14, 2008

Euro Agency Mergers: iProspect Enters Germany, MRM Grabs Starsky in Stockholm

There were a couple noteworthy overseas agency acquisitions yesterday. Aegis has acquired Germany-based rmsarcar.com and will merge it with its iProspect search marketing unit. The firm's clients include Scout24, Skyeurope and TUI.com. It'll be rebranded iProspect Germany.

Meanwhile McCann Worldgroup-owned MRM Worldwide swallowed Sweden-based Starsky, merging the smaller firm with its operation in Stockholm. The new entity will be called MRM Starsky Worldwide and have clients including Scandinavian Airlines, Vattenfall, SEB, TeliaSonera and Scania. Starsky founder Anders Nyström becomes deputy managing director of MRM Starsky. Starsky's 18 employees brings the MRM Stockholm staff total to 65.

Posted by Zachary Rodgers at 9:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 7, 2008

Aegis Acquires Brazilian Agency Age

Aegis Group has acquired Brazilian communications agency Age, which offers trade and sports marketing, online planning and buying, and offline creative services.

Having already acquired Brazil's largest independent digital agency AgenciaClick in 2007, Aegis plans for the two to "work closely together, sharing resources and creating a fully integrated marketing offer in Brazil," according to a press release.

Aegis' internal numbers show the Brazilian market commands almost 40 percent of Latin America's total ad spend, and has grown at an average annual rate of 18 percent since 2002.

Founded in 2000, Age currently has clients including Adidas and PriceWaterhouseCoopers, and assets of $2 million, according to the agency.

Posted by Jack Marshall at 11:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Quote of the Day: Jeff Lanctot

"The most effective agencies must live squarely at the intersection of marketing and technology. They should be sprinting to that intersection. Not just digital agencies, but all agencies. As all media becomes digital, any agency that doesn’t view itself as a technology company should commence reflecting fondly on the good ol’ days. The road ahead is likely to be significantly less fulfilling."

-Jeff Lanctot, SVP of Avenue A | Razorfish Media, writing in his blog.

Posted by Zachary Rodgers at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 29, 2008

Publicis Digital Revenues Now 18 Percent of Business

Its acquisitions of Digitas and Business Interactif last year helped boost Publicis' digital revenues to 18 percent of the total pie in Q1 as the holding company continues to expand online and in emerging markets. The strongest growth rates were in its digital businesses, which soared over 20 percent, followed by media activities.

That said, the quarter just ended was a fairly quiet one for Publicis on the digital front, though it did trumpet a new relationship with Google and rebrand its India and Singapore-based marketing services unit as Solutions | Digitas. Publicis's Asia-Pacific, Africa and Middle East businesses grew at a much higher rate than did its North America and Europe operations, where it makes its big money.

Publicis' other units include media services powerhouses Starcom MediaVest and ZenithOptimedia. Big account wins for the quarter included Delta (Digitas), BT, Cadbury, Bank Of America (Starcom Mediavest), L’Oréal (ZenithOptimedia), and Miller (Saatchi & Saatchi).

Posted by Zachary Rodgers at 11:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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