AUSTRALIA – OgilvyAction Australia – part of Ogilvy Australia and STW – has merged with the Australian arm of Geometry Global, the world’s largest activation network.
The move will significantly bolster Ogilvy Australia’s shopper capability, creating a new agency with unparalleled shopper capabilities and access to Geometry Global’s proprietary shopper tools. A global leader in its field, Geometry currently operates in 56 countries across the globe.
As a result of the merger, Ogilvy Australia will phase out the brand of OgilvyAction locally; the last Ogilvy market to do so. The merged entity will use the Geometry Australia brand.
Ogilvy Australia CEO David Fox said the merger would provide Ogilvy clients and the broader Australian business community with “deeper understanding and unparalleled insight into Australian shopper behaviour and intent”.
“Ogilvy Australia already boasts excellent credentials in the shopper area, but the increasing pace of shopper development and client demand meant we required a jump in head count and skills in the shopper space,” he explained.
“This merger is about making our offering bigger and stronger with an enviable shopper skills set and access to a global network, with world-class capabilities. Some may see shopper marketing as still being in its infancy in Australia. But we can see it’s moving towards the formation of a more strategic shopper segment. By bringing together two outstanding players in this field, it will enable us to catch the shopper wave as it starts to reach some scale.”
Part of WPP, Geometry Global has market-leading capabilities that extend across a range of disciplines including Shopper, Relationship, Promotional and Experiential, Trade and Digital Marketing for clients in regions including shopper powerhouse markets in the UK, USA, and Asia-Pacific. It was recently named Specialist Network of the Year in the 2014 Campaign Asia Network of the Year Awards.
Current Ogilvy Melbourne Group Managing Director Sean Taylor will move into the role of Head of Country for Geometry Australia, to maximise opportunities and growth for the Australian business. A replacement for his role at Ogilvy Melbourne will be announced soon.
“I’m excited to be taking on a position with Geometry that will help drive what is essentially a growth engine for Ogilvy. Geometry connects people with brands at precisely the right times, in the right places, and right ways unlike any other shopper consultancy on the market, making a measurable difference to clients’ businesses. We can’t wait to extend this world-leading capability to Australian brands.”
John Goodman, Regional President of Geometry Global added: “Australia is a crucial part of our network offering with much to learn from, and we are very excited about assembling such a great united team for the future.”
Ogilvy Australia is part of STW, Australasia’s leading marketing content and communications group.
In photo: Sean Taylor
