WPP Firms Launch Shopper Insight JV

WPP firms OgilvyAction and Malone Advertising have partnered in North America to launch a fully integrated shopper marketing and experiential marketing agency, which will link brand strategies, shopper insights and retail opportunities.

OgilvyAction, which is the activation arm of ad giant Ogilvy & Mather, specializes in experiential and digital marketing, analytics and consumer promotion. JWT-owned Malone Advertising specializes in trade marketing, shopper marketing, and shopper/customer research and insights.

The new JWT/OgilvyAction joint venture has been launched to help brands and retailers reach and influence consumers at every point along their path-to-purchase. The firm will offer access to the complete range of shopper and retail marketing services - including shopper marketing, retailer relationships, consumer promotions and experiential marketing - combined with research and analytics, from a single source.

Around 400 full-time professionals and 3,000 part-time staff will provide these services from offices in New York, Chicago and Akron, Ohio, as well as from field offices across the US.

Fred Bidwell, formerly President of Malone, will act as Executive Chairman of the joint venture. He shares leadership responsibilities with Sheila Hartnett, CEO of OgilvyAction, North America, who will now also serve as CEO of the new entity.

'Our killer app is the ability to impact with consumer shopping experiences every step of the way: before they shop, while they are at retail, and after they leave the store with deep measurement tools,' explained Hartnett. 'No other single entity has that 'before, during and after' market capability under one roof, driving value and insight to really leverage the shopper channel for marketers.'

The JV will tap Malone's ShopperSight Research suite of products that use data to gain an understanding of shoppers within specific retail environments, and Bidwell explained that the firms will be developing shopper strategies validated by these products.

Longer-term, the JV is looking at opportunities for potential global expansion; a specialized Hispanic global shopper marketing and retail activation capability; and growth in digital, new media and mobile activation services.

Web site: www.jwtaction.com .