SINGO'S AND BADJAR MERGE IN MELBOURNE
STW Communications Group Limited today announced the merger of two of its Melbourne advertising agencies, Singleton Ogilvy & Mather and BADJAR. The two companies will physically join in May 2007 in expanded premises at BADJAR’s current address in St. Kilda Road. From that time the merged entity will trade as BADJAR Ogilvy.
The merged entity will be 67% owned by STW and 33% owned by Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide.
The Melbourne operations of several other STW Group companies, including OgilvyOne and OgilvyInteractive, will also move into the extended St Kilda Road premises giving BADJAR Ogilvy direct access to their specialist teams.
BADJAR founding partners Don Jeffery and Rod Bennett and SOM Managing Director Luke Waldren will comprise the senior management team of BADJAR Ogilvy and will jointly develop and refine structures and operating procedures for the merged business over the next three months. The third founding partner of BADJAR, Jack Room, recently retired from the business for health reasons, but will have continued involvement in a consulting capacity.
Announcing the merger, STW Executive Chairman, Russell Tate said that bringing together two of the biggest and most successful agencies in the Melbourne market would create a powerful new force in what is arguably Australia’s toughest advertising market. “The agencies are of similar size and have similar cultures and philosophies”, said Tate. “The respective management teams are already working well together and with the increased scale and synergies this merger will bring, the business will be in a position to deliver a level of service and breadth of skills in Melbourne which no other agency group can get close to.”
Tate said that clients of both agencies had been very supportive of the merger.
“Luke, Don and Rod have promised their clients two things and we’ll judge the success of this merger on our ability to deliver them” said Tate. “The first is that clients will experience no interruption in the early stages of the merger – it will be business as usual. The second is that by the end of the year clients will have recognised added value from the merger. I have absolutely no doubt that the BADJAR Ogilvy team will deliver on both promises”.
Luke Waldren commented that “it’s exciting times for both organisations and we’re already experiencing some of the benefits of collaboration. The opportunity to work with guys like Don and Rod, who have an amazing track record, will be great. And with the Ogilvy Group now being at the forefront of new media we’ll represent a formidable combination. Most of all we’re a bunch of people cut from the same cloth and from the perspective of the overall relationship I can already see this being a great success. In this case we can confidently say that this is not only good for BADJAR and SOM, but importantly we know our clients will see great benefits also”.
Don Jeffery said that the merger would be beneficial to clients and staff of both agencies: “The increased scale of the operation is an obvious benefit and I am especially excited about being part of the best global network and the access we’ll now have to world’s best practice in new media” he said.
Rod Bennett said that it was fitting that in the year of BADJAR’S 20th Anniversary, the merger allows the agency to move to another level: “Twenty years on it means that our offering to clients is as contemporary and relevant in this ever changing market place as it was when we first started.”
posted by CB @ 8:35 PM
18 Comments:
As Borat says: That's really going to alter the creative landscape in Melbourne......................................................................................................................................................................................................................NOT.
ZZZZzzzzz boring snoring.
So in Melbourne there'll essentially be two agencies- the big, good one, and the big, shit one...
Myers and a Coles Pitch? Hmmmmmm.
McCanns reckon theyve got it in the bag anyway. Or at least that's what all the international people they've flown in are saying to justify the wedge theyre getting.
Maybe they should concetrate on doing better woirk for Holden. Or at least something that wasnt a copy of an poverseas ad. Shame Mcanns Shame
9:10 am. Feeling a little threatened down the road are we?
BANGO'S! - Don't be fooled by the name.
i'm a bit sick of being edited. So i'll say it again.
I hope the culture of BADJAR is dominant, because it's a bad pool they're jumping into. Singo's Melb is a mess.
Badjar, not the hottest shop but a consistant business performer year after year. Singo's Melb on the other hand, is a miserable performer on all fronts. Guess they just got a get out of jail free card. Should be a big stinker, too bad for Badjar staff.
eeeuw! that's an ugly combo.
Going to back up 5.55 here. The BADJAR culture is great, whislt not winning bucketloads of silverware. Singos will just drag them down further.
The cream will rise. a merger of name only...
Does anyone give a fuck?
With several new start ups boasting great creatives I'd say 'Bangos' should watch it's client list as it stumbles about in a mergerized daze.
What a joke. ' We won't be cutting staff' ' Our clients are all very supportive'.
I can just see the client party with Com Bank staff clinking glasses with Bendigo Bank marketers.
Stop hanging it on Singo's, they're really good. They don't wear jeans or enter awards and they all do exactly what they're told. They're lovely people.
Yeah right. they don't enter awards because they don't have a creative department.
two words: robot chicken
I think some of you are looking at it the wrong way.
The agency will be called Badjar Ogilvy.
To me it sounds like Badjar has effectively found it's way into a global network.
As to the culture clash only time will tell.
It doesn't matter what order the merger names are in. 67% STW ownership says STW will call the shots.
They'll use their business model and run it with their people. We wont get much of a look in.
As for the Illustrious international network, who knows what ogivly alignments even run out of Melbourne? Do they do anything? I doubt Bango's would even be invited to work on international briefs. Hold on to your hats.
merger hat
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