Dentsu Aegis Network Brings Lifestyle Marketing Brand MKTG Down Under
Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN) has today launched the Australian chapter of MKTG, uniting its sports marketing and activation brands under the global moniker.
Kylie Green transitions from managing director of ApolloNation to managing director activations MKTG. Matt Connell takes on the role of managing director sport and entertainment MKTG. He was until today MD of Team Epic.
Green told B&T that as soon as DAN acquired MKTG in late 2014, she had the opportunity to meet the group’s now Global CEO Charlie Horsey and immediately struck up a conversation with him about wanting to put activation and lifestyle marketing on the world map.
“He had these visions of going global and I was really excited by that so I bought into it immediately. It’s always been a dream of mine to be part of something global and really put what we do as an industry on the world stage, so it’s super exciting,” she said.
MKTG launched in the US in 1991 and was acquired by DAN in 2014. Since that time, DAN has been rolling MKTG out globally as it platform for lifestyle marketing. Australia is the 17th country to open an office and New Zealand will be the 18th on Monday.
Connell told B&T that there has been around six months of work before the launch. “We saw a unique opportunity to really lead the market in lifestyle marketing, with sport being a significant part of that. We had the capability in the business, but they were running under two separate business units so it made sense that those two units came together as one and MKTG was the right fit for that to happen.”
Both Green and Connell spoke of the growing desire for brands to reach really passionate audiences as a huge opportunity. Connell believes DAN already has some of the most highly valuable assets delivering brands the opportunity for scale and reach for big, passionate audeinces.
“As we transform from Team Epic to MKTG, we bring some really premium value sport assets, which is unlike any other sports marketing outfit in Australia as far as I’m concerned.
“MKTG is a 10 years rights partner with the AFL, which gives us exclusive venue rights and signage rights at the two leading Victorian venues – the MCG and Etihad Stadium.
“Similarly with Cricket Australia, we run their national signage program and we’re a 10 year rights partner with them.”
Both agreements are only into the second year of their ten deals. MKTG is also a rights partner with Football Federation of Australia.
The value that on ground signage and activations brings is in the unique position of being unaffected by the continuing splintering of audiences.
“From day dot, the reach through broadcast has been the main currency. As media consumption evolves, the exposure is more diverse. It’s not just about broadcast anymore. It’s only evolving, but unlike other media, our opportunity only gets stronger as consumption increases across different platforms,” said Connell.
“The most premium real estate in any game is live and wherever the vision goes, our asset goes with it, it’s part of the game until the end of time basically,” he added.
Green said that a large part of the months of work behind the scenes had been in educating the 100-strong local team about the new movement of lifestyle marketing. She says the newly formed group has five key pillars that underpin MKTG and lifestyle marketing for us here in Australia.
The five pillars are:
- Live and experiential
- Retail and shopper
- Sport sponsorship and entertainment
- Creative and innovation
- Enterprise and business-to-business
“There’s no other agency in Australia that can offer those five key pillars with a full service team backed behind them,” Green asserted.
“We’re finding a really big shift in budgets from above the line to below the line, but what we’re seeing more and more now, the ideation can come from our space and the media and advertising creative agencies can all buy into it as well, so we work more as an ecosystem together in creating solutions for clients rather than working in silos apart.
DAN operates under a one P&L mentality, said Green. “I’ve worked in other networks where it’s all about cannibalising each other within the group,” she said.
Green said that brands are increasingly coming to her and saying: “We want to have a deeper connection with our consumers or our market. We want to have a one-to-one relationship, not a one-to-many.
“Obviously with some of the activations that we do, we’re doing them to masses, but really it’s about holding the individual at heart, treating them like a human being, not talking about them like they’re a target or a shopper . . . a grocery buyer, all the terms we use in the industry.
“At the end of the day they’re individual, they’re human and they’ve got passion points and that’s what we really want to tap into.”
Green referenced global CEO Charlie Horsey saying that he believed that in this digital age filled with machines, robots and things like that, “we’re going back to the simple fact that we’re human beings and we have emotions and we want to tap into creating those special moments around joy and passion, excitement. That’s what makes us tick and get up in the morning and get out of bed. It’s not grass roots, but going back to the basic needs of a human being and making sure that brands tap into that.
“The digital world and the human world can work hand in hand. In the digital world we can still have the one-on-one conversation with humans.”
The full announcement from DAN is here:
Dentsu Aegis Network launches global lifestyle marketing agency MKTG
Dentsu Aegis Network today announces launch of their ninth global network brand and lifestyle agency, MKTG, with ApolloNation, Australia’s most-awarded specialist activations agency, and Team Epic, Australia’s premier strategically-led lifestyle marketing agency coming together to form MKTG. The launch of MKTG in Australia strengthens Dentsu Aegis Network’s lifestyle marketing offering throughout the Australian & New Zealand market and continues its expansion around the globe.
Leveraging the collective experience, resources and talent of the former ApolloNation and Team Epic teams, MKTG will look to lead in lifestyle marketing across the key service pillars of Retail & Shopper, Live & Experiential, Sports & Entertainment, Enterprise and Creative & Innovation.
In Australia, MKTG will be led by Matt Connell in the role of Managing Director of Sport & Entertainment and Kylie Green as Managing Director of Activations. Both roles will report into Dentsu Aegis Network ANZ CEO, Simon Ryan.
The launch of the MKTG network brand in Australia makes a statement to the market with brand now scaled to 30 offices across 17 countries globally and over 1,450 specialist Activations staff with headquarters in New York.
Simon Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Dentsu Aegis Network, ANZ said, “The Team Epic and ApolloNation teams share great synergies, and as we combine to become MKTG in Australia, our goal will be to be the best experiential, sport and entertainment lifestyle marketing organisation in the country.”
“This is an exciting chapter in the evolution of our Group and its global vision, and demonstrates our commitment to continually re-shaping our offering to provide the best value possible to our client partners.”
Charlie Horsley, MKTG Global CEO said, “We have developed a strategy to ensure we not only continue moving forward into the future as leaders in lifestyle marketing, but remain as pioneers in the transformation of our industry.
“The combined strength of ApolloNation and Team Epic’s experience creating award-winning and impactful solutions for Australia’s & New Zealand’s most-loved brands, plus MKTG’s premium offering across lifestyle, sports and entertainment, means we can deliver absolutely unrivaled lifestyle marketing solutions for brands in Australia.”
Please login with linkedin to comment
Advertising Standards Bureau hcl technologies Lifestyle marketing Matt Connell MKTG MSM2016 New developments web securityLatest News
Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]
Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]
Is Meta’s New AI Chatbot Too Left-Wing?
Meta's chatbot accused of being left-wing after being caught wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt & listening to Billy Bragg.
TV Ratings (23/04/2024): Why Did No One Tell Angela That Farmer Wants A Wife Is Set On A Farm?
As wonderful as this headline is, let's face it, we all know an 'Angela', don't we?
PubMatic Unveils New AI Partnership To Turn Social Posts Into Ads For Any Digital Channel
Here's some nifty tech for turning social posts into ads. Assuming said posts aren't one-star character assassinations.
Intuit Mailchimp Makes A Splash With Its First Australian Brand Campaign
Ever laugh along at a gag you didn't get so as not to appear dumb? Get ready for more feigning with this new work.
GumGum’s Rob Hall: Advertisers Can No Longer “Rely On Binary Descriptions” Of Consumers
If anyone's got their finger on adtech's pulse, it's Rob Hall. He also avoids using the good paper in the office printer
Mastercard Nabs Florencia Aimo From Marriott International
Marriott International's Florencia Aimo jumps from the hotel business to the exploitative credit card one.
Bastion Agency Appoints Cheuk Chiang As New ANZ CEO
Cheuk Chiang takes the reins over at Bastion Agency. But not the rains down in Africa.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Major Sponsorship Wins After A Disappointing Week In Sport
B&T continuing our deep dive into local sport sponsorships & that's despite not a single offer of a free ticket as yet.
Macca’s Marketing Director, Samantha McLeod On Big Mac Chant: “What Was Once Old Is Now Cool Again”
Macca's using the power of nostalgia in latest Big Mac campaign. Well, only for those who've ever eaten one sober.
World Premiere Of Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line To Open Sydney Film Festival 2024
Oil's biopic to open Sydney Film Festival. Here's hoping Molly Meldrum will take his pants down at the premiere.
Entries Are Now Open For The 2024 Brandies, IntelligenceBank’s Annual Brand Marketing Awards
The Brandies are, of course, a prestigious marketing gong and not the mystery tipple favoured by nannas everywhere.
The Fred Hollows Foundation Appoints Ardent For PR
Yes, we all like to have a joke at PR's expense. But sometimes it does important work, like this.
AI, eCommerce & Marketing Specialists Are In Increased Demand By Businesses, New Data From Fiverr Shows
Has your philosophy & anthropology degree left you with nothing but a huge HECS debt? Here's what you should've studied.
Perth’s First 3D Anamorphic Billboard Arrives Courtesy Of oOh!media
Do you love a buzzword? Now you can add anamorphic to the list as it relates to billboards, not a colleague's ears.
MasterChef Australia & Crown Resorts Launch Unique Dining Experience With ALUMNI
A pop-up restaurant staffed by MasterChef contestants! That's fine dining prices for first-year apprentice chef cuisine!
Amanda Laing Announces Resignation From Foxtel Group
Foxtel's chief commercial & content officer heads for the exits. Read nice things the bosses said about her right here.
The Lost Letters From Our Diggers: News Corp Unveils ANZAC Day Special
It's nice when brands respectfully acknowledge ANZAC Day.
Howatson+Company Acquires Akkomplice
Large indie acquires a slightly smaller indie. Much like a shark eating a tuna, just with less thrashing and blood.
Google Delays Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Again
In good news for the sale of picture library biscuit photos, Google continues to tease over the end of cookies.
Education A Low Priority For Aussies More Concerned With Cost Of Living Forethought Study Reveals
Study finds Aussies cutting back on education due to cost of living. Booze & Uber Eats sales remain largely unaffected.
“I’m Still The Same Person That I Was”: Rikki Stern Says “Fucc It” To Cancer Stereotypes
B&T always happy to promote the anti-cancer cause. Even brands that massively overdo it with the hot pink.
The Unapproved Climate Certification Allegedly Causing Mass Greenwashing
Are you left flummoxed in the canned tuna & free range eggs aisle? Just wait till this green certification gets up.
TV Ratings (22/04/2024): Fans Mock “Over The Top” Reaction To New MasterChef Judges
MasterChef returns for its 2024 season. B&T stands by putting peppercorns in Gravox & no one will be any the wiser.
Dentsu Restructure: Muddle, Harvey & Johnston Take Leadership Baton As Bass & Yurisich Exit
A large broom has swept through Dentsu's local ops this morning, taking with it some big names & the air con's cobwebs.
Industry Shares Trends Shaping The Industry This International Creators Day
B&T's asking adland creators to reveal their top trends. And it's not good news for your Jenny Kee cardigan collection.
Mable Extends HOYTS Sensory Screenings Partnership
Mable has extended its HOYTS sensory screening partnership. Vigorously defends its two-star Oppenheimer review.
Orphan Launches ‘They Need Our Help. We Need Yours’ For Children’s Cancer Institute
Anything to do with childhood cancers has B&T's 110% support. That said, we do ignore the red meat & alcohol warnings.
Smile Team Orthodontics & Keep Left Collaborate On Smile-Inducing Campaign
As parents would attest, given the cost of orthodontics you'd expect this campaign to be a lavish production indeed.
Opinion: How Video Calls Neglect Learning Diversity
Need an excuse to duck out of a video call this arvo? Show this to your boss.
DoubleVerify Achieves First-Of-Its-Kind Responsible AI Certification From TrustArc
DoubleVerify receives responsible AI certification. However, not its robotic vacuum that's been seen menacing the cat.
Smile For A Good Cause: The Social Media Campaign Giving Back To The Community
Are you known as the office Austin Powers? More for you teeth than shagability? Get snappy new fangs with this news.
Elon Musk Mocks Albo After ESafety Wins Court Injunction Against X
Albo's 2024 from hell continues - Rabbitohs in crisis, down in the polls and now feuding with world's richest man.
Real Estate Developer In Hot Water Over “Sexually Exploitative” OOH Campaign
Real estate agents again tops in the 'least trusted profession' polls, nudging used car salesmen & ad creatives.
Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
This pro predicts more "teamwork" in a post-cookie era. Which spells bad news for the uncooperative or plain stubborn.