dentsu Drops Merkle Brand in ANZ, Moves Staff

Marcoms group Dentsu is to merge its Merkle consulting and digital marketing division into its broader Australia and New Zealand operations. Merkle will sell its Salesforce practice in the region to a US-based holding company, Enduring Ventures, which will operate it as a new, standalone business.

Dentsu has been restructuring, last week announcing it would merge its media divisions. During Q3, the group expects to move Merkle's local team of around 50 people into other divisions: those in experience and commerce functions will become part of Dentsu Creative, while data and analytics staff will join a new unit led by recently-recruited Chief Data & Technology Officer Danica Bellchambers.

According to news publication www.mumbrella.com.au , Merkle will cease to exist as a standalone brand in ANZ, and its local leaders Paul Whittaker and Gareth Reason will move to the Salesforce-focused company together with most of Merkle's 130 local Salesforce staff. Dentsu ANZ CEO Rob Harvey said in a statement: 'Clients are telling us they want a clearer, more direct way to work with us.'

The group's home page is at www.dentsu.com .