Starcom Media rebrands to Media Seal unveils new global partnership
Starcom Media has rebranded to Media Seal. This is coming about two years after its former global affiliate Starcom Mediavest Group, a Publicis Group agency, broke up with the Nigerian media shop and pitched tent with a rival agency.
The rebranding event held yesterday in Lagos, marked the beginning of a resurgence for the agency, which was once one of Nigeria’s leading media independent outfits, but has seen its fortunes ebb in recent times. It also marked the beginning of a new relationship with Worldwide Partners, a global media agency network headquartered in Denver, Colorado, USA.
The decision to adopt Media Seal as its new brand name was arrived at after several months of brainstorming sessions and research, and according Ayo Oluwatosin, CEO of Rosabel Group, Media Seal reflects the new promise of performance that the rebranded agency stands for. The company has also replaced its logo with that of the global network.
“What are we saying to the market by the name? We are saying that what we put on the table is the peak of professionalism, it is the peak of strategy and it is the final point that any client can domicile his business and be rest assured that their business is secured.”
Cultural integration
Both partners are already making efforts at cultural integration and plans for training in order to ensure that the Nigerian company is properly immersed in the philosophies of its new global partner. The first of such training takes place next month in Paris where the network will host a major global summit involving top management staff of all its partners and subsidiaries.
Media Seal’s goal is to become a household name in Nigeria in the shortest possible time. The agency, which has a rich history of performance with multinational brands like Nigerian Breweries and Nestle, said it has the talent and experience that will drive its rise to the top of the ladder. But it is also working at strengthening its workforce by equipping them with cutting edge skill for quality service delivery.
Worldwide Partners
Worldwide Partners is one of the world’s largest network of owner-operated, independent advertising agencies with over $2.4 billion in advertising billings under management. WPI currently has over 65 partner agencies in over 40 countries with over 140 offices worldwide.
Worldwide Partners is quite an unusual network, with a strange ownership structure. The agency partners own Worldwide Partners rather than Worldwide Partners owning the agencies. Each partner agency owns 100 shares of Worldwide Partners stock. WPI has no less than 20 clients being serviced worldwide by partner agencies, including 3M, Visit California, Caterpillar, Dana, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Group Santander and Bristol Myers Squibb.
The company started with five founding agencies in 1938 in the Southwestern part of the United States as a way for advertising agencies to share management insights and best practices in the burgeoning ad industry. One of the founding partners, Mithoff Burton in El Paso, Texas, is still a part of Worldwide Partners today.
Nature of partnership
Because of the business model adopted by Worldwide partner, the relationship between it and Media Seal is unlike any other affiliation agreement existing in Nigeria, because it provides more flexibility and freedom for partner agencies.
“This is not an affiliation, it is an amalgam of agencies in different parts of the world that are partnering together for the sole purpose of enhancing each other’s business, for the sole purpose of enhancing the practice of media buying, media planning and even creative media. This is to ensure that the best is presented to the client. The strength of this partnership is in the collectives,” Oluwatosin said.
Continuing; “The model is entirely different. Both affiliation and equity partnership is still the same holding company model. This one is not an holding company model. All the companies therein are independent agencies and the strength of it is in the collective decision.
Meanwhile, some of Media Seal’s clients are excited about this new relationship and are optimistic that it will rub off well on their brand building efforts. Franco Maria Maggi, Marketing Director of Nigerian Breweries told MARKETING EDGE that the partnership will strengthen Media Seal’s access to data and cutting edge practices, which will help clients’ brands achieve growth.
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