Latest News
VivaKi Australia announces integration of Razorfish and Digitas
VivaKi Australasia Chairman Kevin Malloy today announced a structural change to its Australian operations, following the global announcement by VivaKi this week that its digital agencies Razorfish and Digitas will consolidate in countries outside the US.
The two digital agencies will consolidate support functions and management to help the two brands deliver services more efficiently as part of the global VivaKi network.
In Australia, this will see the fledgling Digitas continue in this market and operate as a sub-brand to Razorfish. The Digitas operations will be headed by group account director Gareth Pask within Razorfish. Digitas managing director Mandy Henry will move to a new business role across the VivaKi group.
“The integration of our new Digitas operation into Razorfish is a similar approach to what we have established at another one of our assets Starcom, where MediaVest operates as a successful secondary brand,†Mr Malloy said.
“Since we established Digitas in Australia in March this year, the agency has grown steadily and won several client assignments but as it is still a new entity here and therefore a fraction of the size of the more established Razorfish, it made sense for the two agencies to consolidate.
“Mandy Henry has done an outstanding job at Digitas and we have decided to use her skills and experience in the most effective way possible. We have therefore elevated Mandy to take on a critical new business role across the group as VivaKi significantly steps up its presence in Australia,†Mr Malloy said.
Razorfish Asia President Lee Sherman said: “This integration of Digitas and Razorfish is an important step in the evolution of our businesses in Australia. There is a real need for both digital agencies in this market as both offer specialised skills to their respective clients.
“We are looking forward to working more closely with Digitas to implement greater efficiencies.â€
The consolidation of Razorfish and Digitas is effective immediately. VivaKi was established in Australia by the Publicis Groupe this year as a strategic entity to leverage the combined scale of its media and digital operations that includes Starcom MediaVest Group, Zenith Optimedia, Razorfish, Digitas and AMX.
In the global announcement, VivaKi managing partner David Kenny said: “We have two powerful digital agencies inside Publicis Groupe, and we have a strategy to strengthen each brand while also achieving important efficiencies that will deliver cost savings to the organisation. The harmonization principle has been simple. We do need two digital agencies. We don’t need a redundant support framework, and we can simultaneously make each agency more agile and effective while protecting client confidentiality.â€
For further information, please contact:
Rochelle Burbury
Access Public Relations
T: 02 9279 4799
M: 0408 774 577
E: rochelle@accesspr.com.au
About VivaKi
VivaKi is a strategic entity designed to improve the performance of advertisers' marketing investments, as well as boost Publicis Groupe's growth in the context of rapidly expanding digital markets. VivaKi leverages the combined scale of the autonomous operations of Digitas, Starcom MediaVest Group, Denuo and ZenithOptimedia. It is the world's largest center for developing new technologies, partnerships and platforms required to build brands in a digital world.
Web Site: www.vivaki.com
About Digitas
Digitas is a leading digital marketing agency, helping the world's biggest brands develop, engage and profit from building profitable relationships with their customers. The Agency pairs media, marketing, technology, creativity, imagination and analytics to ignite emotional bonds between people and brands. Digitas also operates the brand content platform, The Third Act:, the independent healthcare marketing brand, Digitas Health, as well as Prodigious Worldwide, the world’s only standalone, global digital productions company. With sister agencies Starcom MediaVest, ZenithOptimedia and Denuo, Digitas is a member of Publicis Groupe's VivaKi—a global digital knowledge and resource center that leverages the combined scale of the autonomous operations of its members to develop new services, new tools, and new partnerships.
Web Site: www.digitas.com Twitter: @Digitas | Facebook: Digitas Fan Page
About Razorfish
Razorfish is one of the largest interactive marketing and technology companies in the world. With a demonstrated commitment to innovation, Razorfish counsels its clients on how to leverage digital channels such as the Web, mobile devices, in-store technologies and other emerging media to engage people, build brand loyalty and provide excellent customer service. The company is increasingly advising marketers on Social Influence Marketing, its approach for employing social media and social influencers to achieve the marketing and business needs of an organization. Its award-winning client teams provide solutions through their strategic counsel, digital advertising and content creation, media buying, analytics, technology and user experience. Razorfish has offices in markets across the United States, and in Australia, China, France, Germany, Japan, Spain and the United Kingdom. Clients include Carnival Cruise Lines, MillerCoors, Levi Strauss & Co., McDonald's and Starwood Hotels.
Web Site: www.razorfish.com|Twitter: @razorfish| Facebook: Facebook