WPP AUNZ merges local brands Ikon and AKQA Media to form new Australian media powerhouse

February 15 2021, 10:42 pm | BY Lynchy | No Comments

WPP AUNZ is combining local brands Ikon and AKQA Media to create a new powerful next generation media company. Commencing in Q1 2021, the new agency will be branded AKQA Media under the leadership of current Ikon CEO Lesley Edwards as CEO, alongside current AKQA Media MD, Chris Hitchcock as National Managing Director.

Pairing Ikon’s rich Australian media investment experience with AKQA’s global technology capability offers ambitious marketers the ability to tap into an innovative digital and CX skill sets.

The new AKQA media entity will continue to work alongside AKQA Australia to operate at every customer touchpoint across the user journey, offering marketers even more ways to identify and connect with valuable customers.

WPP AUNZ CEO, Jens Monsees said combining the best of the company’s media offerings with investment into digital and tech capabilities was perfectly in line with the company’s strategy to align media, technology and creative to benefit our clients.

“Both Ikon and AKQA Media are renowned and respected in the Australian market for a focus upon client-centred solutions, based upon the realisation that media is no longer a stand-alone discipline, having become part of an increasingly complex customer journey.

“Combining the two brands expands the power of data insight, offering existing and prospective clients’ unique solutions to further grow their business,” he added.

Ms Edwards (pictured) said that in today’s dynamic marketplace progressive brands were continually adapting their business models to achieve growth: “A paradox has emerged as CMOs seek less agencies, but more native specialisms, they increasingly seek and need partners capable of collaborating on complex business problems geared towards unearthing future growth and value.

“Working within our clients’ world, not shackled by legacy traditions, AKQA Media provides our clients a truly agnostic view of the best path to customer engagement,” she said.

Adds Hitchcock (pictured): “Client needs for clear and decisive programmatic and data-based media investments have never been stronger. It is the right direction for both businesses to combine our capabilities and a positive and natural progression for our brands, offering the newly created team a huge competitive advantage,” he said.