Welcome to The Drum's Business on the Move column, where we collate agency account news, reviews, agency launches, rebrands and acquisitions.
This week includes moves from Disney, PlayStation, Spotify, Picturehouse Cinemas, TalkTalk, Netflix, Brand Beckham and more.
This week's acquisitions
- Deloitte Digital has expanded its digital marketing expertise with the acquisition of Pervorm for an undisclosed fee.
- Disney has assumed "full operational control" of streaming service Hulu from Comcast, meaning the OTT service is no longer shared across a handful of media operators.
- Edgewell Personal Care is getting into the direct-to-consumer (DTC) craze with the $1.37bn purchase of Harry's shaving brand.
- Havas Group has acquired user experience design agency Think Design in India.
- The PR firm Uproar PR has been acquired by Kanaris Group.
- The CM Group has acquired Vuture, a cross-channel marketing platform for legal and professional service providers.
Global wins
PlayStation has shifted its creative account from BBH New York to Omnicoms's Adam&Eve/DDB as part of an overhaul of its brand strategy.
EMEA wins
Picturehouse Cinemas has teamed up with Spotify for the first time, as part of its ‘Everywhere’ campaign.
TalkTalk has been named as the first sponsor of Global’s revamped Heart Breakfast radio show.
AllTogetherNow has been appointed agency of record for Onken.
Farewill has appointed media agency The Specialist Works to handle its media planning and buying, following a competitive pitch.
Pukka Pies has appointed three new agencies to support its growth strategy. Walkerwill spearhead its communications strategy and creative development, Richmond & Towers will become it's fully integrated trade and consumer PR and social media agency and Haygarth will lead all shopper marketing activities across retail and foodservice channels.
Kopparberg has handed its full retained PR account to Mc&T.
MLB has appointed brand experience agency, XYZ to create a socially-powered baseball experience in the heart of London called the MLB Softball60 Series – a new fast-paced inclusive team sport for Europe that will ramp up excitement and awareness ahead of the Mitel & MLB Present London Series 2019.
APAC wins
Netflix has inked an exclusive content licensing deal with Alibaba’s video platform Youku as it seeks to bolster its Chinese language content.
WATConsult - the digital and social media agency from Dentsu Aegis Network India - has won the creative, digital and social media duties of Schneider Electric India.
OMD Brisbane has been appointed as media agency to Super Retail Group.
Ikon has been appointed the media agency of record in Australia by the chocolate brand Lindt& Sprungli.
Wavemaker has won the media duties for NestAway.
Langoor has won the digital creative mandate for Boheco Life.
CampaignLab has been appointed by Fiji Airways to develop and implement PR and integrated campaigns across Australia and New Zealand.
Americas wins
Disney is moving the US media planning and buying for its newly acquired 20th Century Fox assets to Omnicom-owned OMD.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House has appointed Uproar PR its agency of record to promote the restaurant brand to a national audience.
Mergers
Enero has merged Naked with BMF, an Australian creative agency.
Ikea has called a creative pitch in Southeast Asia which incumbent BBH Singapore is expected to defend.
Launches
AT&T’s advertising unit Xandr has launched its ad marketplace, called Community.
Brand Beckham has entered a new phase today with the footballer turned international celebrity parting ways with former business partners XIX Entertainment to form a new independent brand and commercial management team.
Publicis Groupe has launched Digitasin the Middle East. The office will open in Dubai with a 50-member team led by Tony Wazen.
Combining current employees and new recruits, Dentsu Group is to open a digital-focused media agency in Japan. Dentsu Media Runway will be led by Katsuhiko Tsurumoto as chief executive, and have around 35 staff members.
Newly-merged Wunderman Thompson has launched in New Zealand.
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