Ogilvy launches marketing outsourcing company Engage

by Daniel Farey-Jones, Brand Republic 13-Nov-06, 07:00

LONDON - Ogilvy Group has ramped up its activity in helping clients outsource marketing functions such as data analytics by launching Ogilvy Engage, headed by OgilvyOne managing partner Fraser Watson.

In addition, the group has created a new integrated agency, Mather Communications, to house accounts that conflict with existing business as well as chase new business. It has said that Mather will open with three as-yet unspecified clients.

The changes coincide with the rebranding of its UK advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather as Ogilvy Advertising.

Oglivy already has expertise in managing outsourced projects such as the Jigsaw Consortium, a combined database and analytics operation serving Cadbury Schweppes, Unilever and Kimberly-Clark.

With Ogilvy Engage, the group can offer a wider range of outsourced marketing functions, working closely with non-Ogilvy companies.

These include: data management and analytics specialist Teradata; call centre specialist Sitel; business performance management company Hyperion; IBM Business Consulting; customer experience management specialist Satmetrix; and one of the UK's leading audit firms.

Watson moves to head the operation, having just returned to OgilvyOne after a secondment in a senior marketing role at BT. He will report into Mike Dodds, managing director of OgilvyOne.

Watson said: "We are not looking to compete with consultancies like EDS or Accenture, but rather provide clients with a new model that addresses the needs of those looking to outsource a range of marketing service capabilities.

"We come to this with some highly developed intellectual property and modelling capability derived from working with our partner community. This allows us to work with clients to not only identify quick wins, but also to visualise the optimal solution for them in the medium and long term."

Engage will announce its first clients soon.

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