Close-Up: Live Issue - Do advertisers need global digital specialists?

than an ad hoc approach in local markets?

Coca-Cola, GlaxoSmithKline and L'Oreal seem to think so: all three have
called global digital pitches in the past six months. As Guy Lambert,
the managing director of OgilvyOne London, says: "Clients are starting
to ask how digital should relate to the rest of their global marketing
mix."

The problem for clients looking for a global digital agency is that
there are few full-service agencies with offices in every major market.
Traditional ad agency networks may have global reach, but most do not
have the skills to be included on global digital-only pitch lists.

Nigel Morris is the worldwide chief executive of Isobar, Aegis'
full-service digital network, which counts Adidas among its global
clients.

The network has not yet met its stated target of a full-service office
in every top-40 market, but it does have a wider global reach than most
digital businesses.

"Clients need global advice on how digital fits into their overall
marketing strategy and, to do that, you need to be on the ground. You
can't advise a client on the Chinese market unless you have a presence
there," Morris argues.

OgilvyOne Worldwide also features frequently on global pitchlists and
has offices in even more major markets - but differs in that it is
primarily a direct-response rather than a branding agency.

However, outside these two, no network can be said to offer anything
like a complete global footprint. Profero, for instance, has 12 offices
in Europe and Asia, but no US coverage as yet; while Wheel (part of LB
Icon) has a gap in its Asian offering. But does a network need an office
in every market to service a global client? The best-known creative
networks, such as AKQA, R/GA and Tribal DDB, would say no; they operate
as micro-networks.

Modem Media and Digitas work together under the umbrella of Digitas Inc
to offer global reach, though the network has only partnership
agreements in place for Asia. Norm Johnston, the Modem Media managing
director for Europe, says a presence in every market is not always
necessary - 80 per cent of global work, he says, is produced in one
place and tweaked for roll-out in local markets.

AKQA services all of its clients on either a global or regional basis,
but only has offices in London, New York, San Francisco, Washington DC
and Singapore (though it plans to open in Shanghai and Tokyo soon). With
Nike, for instance, it works on global, pan-regional and local campaigns
- such as this summer's online push for Nike Run London.

Ajaz Ahmed, the AKQA chairman, says clients hire it for its product, not
its distribution. "The big idea and the global thought can be done
anywhere," he says. "All you need is enough size to ensure quality and
regional insight."

THE TOP GLOBAL DIGITAL PLAYERS
ISOBAR
Offices: 63 offices in 32 countries
Employees: 1,274
Global accounts: Adidas, EMI, Kodak, Pernod Ricard, Renault, Panasonic,
Logitec
The lowdown: Viewed by some as a ragtag bag of disparate local agencies,
but has a broader global reach than most of its competition.

OGILVYONE WORLDWIDE
Offices: 115 offices in 56 countries
Employees: 4,000
Global accounts: American Express, IBM, Cisco, SAP, Nestle, Yahoo!
The lowdown: Services most of its clients as a result of its
relationship through the Ogilvy networks, but pitches separately on
global digital-only accounts. Focuses on direct response.

MODEM MEDIA/DIGITAS
Offices: Five in the US, three in Europe plus partnerships in Asia
Employees: 1,735
Global accounts: HP, General Motors, eBay, Microsoft
The lowdown: One of the market leaders in the US. Has a lower profile
outside that market, but it does run HP and GM out of Modem Media's
London office. Strong in search and site work.

AKQA
Offices: Five - London, New York, San Francisco, Washington DC,
Singapore
Employees: 350
Global accounts: Coca-Cola, Xbox, Nike
The lowdown: Triumphed in the global pitch for Coke. Has a strong
reputation for creativity and has recently hired some of the world's
most-awarded digital creatives.

TRIBAL DDB
Offices: 21 offices in 15 countries
Employees: 600
Global accounts: Volkswagen, Philips, McDonald's, Pepsi
The lowdown: Works on accounts from its Omnicom sibling DDB, but local
agencies are also encouraged to pitch for business independently. Offers
consultancy, site build and marketing (including media).