Dentsu Aegis Network
Dentsu Aegis Network Ltd. is a multinational media and digital marketing communications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Japanese advertising and public relations firm Dentsu. Its principal services are communications strategy through digital creative execution, media planning and buying, sports marketing and content creation, brand tracking and marketing analytics. It is organised into ten main divisions: Carat, Dentsu (operations outside Japan), Dentsu media, mcgarrybowen, Merkle, Fountainhead MKTG, Posterscope, Isobar, iProspect and Vizeum. Dentsu Aegis Network manages all the Dentsu inc. owned businesses outside the Japan market, which includes the former Aegis Group business that it acquired in 2013. It also includes 360i, Amplifi, Amnet, BJL, Grip Limited, The StoryLab, Data2Decisions, Mitchell Communications, Cardinal Path[3] and psLIVE. It has 35,000 people across 145 countries.
 | |
| Private limited company, Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Advertising |
| Founded | 2013 (Dentsu Aegis Network) 1989 (Aegis) 1966 (Centrale d'achats radio, affichage, télévision) |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
Key people | Timothy Andree (CEO) |
| Revenue | £1,135.0 million (2011)[1] |
| £197.2 million (2011)[1] | |
| £81.1 million (2011)[1] | |
Number of employees | circa 23,000 (2014)[2] (46000) |
| Parent | Dentsu |
| Subsidiaries |
|
| Website | dentsuaegisnetwork |
Aegis' origins date back to the founding of the media agency Centrale d'Achats Radio, Affichage, Télévision (Carat) in France in 1966. Formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index, Aegis was acquired by the Japan-based advertising group Dentsu in March 2013.
History
The Carat business can be traced back to the founding in France in 1966 by Gilbert Gross of the media agency Centrale d'achats Radio, Affichage, Télévision (Carat). Gross died in March 2019.[4]
In 1979 WCRS Group was formed as an advertising agency and in 1984 WCRS Group acquired Carat. WCRS Group became one of the fastest growing marketing services groups of the 1980s.[5]
WCRS Group was led by Peter Scott—the "S" of WCRS[6]—who went on to found Aegis in 1989 as a separate company based on the original WCRS media buying division which itself was centred on the French media business Carat.
The old WCRS agency has re-emerged as part of the Engine Group.[7]
In 1990, the name of the company was officially changed from WCRS to Aegis Group.[8]
In July 2012 the Japanese advertising company Dentsu agreed to acquire Aegis for £3.16 billion (US$5 billion).[9][10] Aegis shareholders approved the transaction on 16 August 2012[11] and the acquisition was completed on 26 March 2013 following receipt of clearance from the antitrust authorities of China.[12]
On 1 January 2014 Dentsu Inc established and launched Dentsu Aegis Network which comprises Aegis Business and all the Dentsu owned companies outside Japan.[13]
In January 2016, Dentsu Aegis Network acquired Grip Limited, an advertising agency based in Toronto.[14]
In November 2016, Dentsu Aegis Network acquired Gravity Media (Gravity), full-service ad agency with offices in New York and London to strengthen its multicultural capabilities.
In June 2017, Dentus Aegis Network acquired Novus Group[15]
In April 2018, Dentsu Aegis Network announced the acquisition of Miami-based digital and performance marketing agency M8.[16]
In July 2018, Dentsu Aegis Network announced the acquisition of Argentinian digital and performance marketing agency Global Mind.
In 2019, it was announced that the Dentsu Aegis Network name will be rebranded as Dentsu from 2020 - in accordance to its “One Dentsu” strategy.[17]
In April 2020, Dentsu Aegis Network named Wendy Clark as global CEO.[18]
Operations
Subsidiaries and divisions
Dentsu Aegis Network includes Milestone Brandcom, an out-of-home media specialist.[19]
References
- "Interim Management Statement - Media & Digital Communications Group - Aegis Group plc". 5 March 2013. Archived from the original on 5 March 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
- "Who Are We - At a glance - Media & Digital Communications Group - Dentsu Aegis Network". 25 June 2014. Archived from the original on 25 June 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
- Nathalie Tadena,Dentsu Aegis Network Buys Analytics Firm Cardinal Path, Wall Street Journal,March 10, 2016
- "Disparition de Gilbert Gross, fondateur de Carat et inventeur des agences médias". Stratégies. 28 March 2019.
- Simon Marquis, Full service will never be resumed, The Guardian, February 19, 2007
- Caroline Marshall, Ad hoc: Agency warhorses come charging back for buyout, The Daily Telegraph, April 12, 2004
- Dan Sabbagh, Agency finds new power in Engine, The Times, November 18, 2005
- "History of AEGIS GROUP PLC". Fundinguniverse.com. Retrieved 2016-01-28.
- "Aegis sold to Dentsu to create global digital media giant". BBC News. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- "Aegis agrees £3.16bn cash offer from Dentsu". The Daily Telegraph. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- "Japan's Dentsu to Acquire Aegis Group for $4.9 billion". AdAge. 12 July 2012.
- "Dentsu Completes Aegis Acquisition". Adweek.com. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
- "Dentsu - Global Network". 8 August 2015. Archived from the original on 8 August 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
- "Dentsu Aegis acquires Grip". Strategy Online. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
- "Dentsu Aegis Network acquires Novus, merges it with John Brown Media". The Drum. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
- "Dentsu Aegis Network Acquires Digital Agency M8". AdWeek.com. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
- {{url= https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/dentsu-plans-drop-aegis-name/1591633}}
- Griner, David; ago, Erik Oster|22 hours. "Wendy Clark Named Global CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network". www.adweek.com. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
- Pritha Mitra Dasgupta. "Dentsu Aegis buys controlling stake in OOH firm Milestone Brandcom". Articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2016-01-28.
