The Unlimited Group has signed a strategic alliance with Japan’s Hakuhodo Group and Germany’s Serviceplan Group to provide clients and prospects with a global offering based on local insight.
As part of the deal, the three independent groups are building joint teams to provide data-driven, customer-centric, integrated solutions, with a presence in all major markets.
The alliance will enable the three to serve existing clients and pitch for global business as a single unit, with a flexible approach to working together. The trio have already teamed up for a pan-European pitch due to take place in the first quarter of 2019.
Last year, Unlimited underwent a major restructure designed to simplify its offering and bring data and creative closer together. This saw the creation of seven “power brands”, including TMW Unlimited, Prophecy Unlimited and Walnut Unlimited. It currently has around 850 staff in the UK and US.
Meanwhile Serviceplan, which claims to be Europe’s largest independent network, has 4,000 employees worldwide, with offices in China, France, India, Italy, Russia, Spain and the US, and Hakuhodo employs 10,000 people predominantly across Asia.
Unlimited already has a number of international clients, including Sony, Canon and Danone, and with the help of the new alliance will now be able to offer them improved insights and data in every market. Unlimited and Serviceplan have both worked on BMW for a number of years.
The alliance will be led by Serviceplan managing partner international Markus Noder, Unlimited Group president Tim Bonnet, and Hakuhodo SVP director of branding Ayami Nakao Peleta (all pictured).
Bonnet said: “We have had a relationship with Hakuhodo and partnership agreement with Serviceplan for a number of years and as this grew in success, we are delighted to formalise this into a global alliance. We are really excited about the expanded offering and capabilities this will bring to our existing clients as well as the agile, innovative and data lead offering we can offer new clients on a global scale.”
No equity or cash has been exchanged between the three partners at this stage.
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