Havas Group ANZ has launched a new market proposition, ‘Deliberately Different’, for the first time. It wants to position itself as a full service marketing company that has the power of a holding company but the agility of an indy.
B&T caught up with Havas Australia and New Zealand CEO James Wright to find out more about the new market proposition, which binds all of its agencies into a single mantra.
“I think there’s a real nervousness around the size of some of the holdcos now; it’s almost like they’ve become quite homogenous,” he said.
“And at the same time, from the pace of change in technology and tools and AI, the independents are struggling to invest quick enough or have the investment to be able to.
“We aren’t a big holdco, but we’re a sizeable holdco, for sure. So we’re big enough to matter, small enough to actually kind of make stuff happen quickly.”
‘Deliberately Different’ aims to encapsulate the Havas village, which positions itself as the agility and entrepreneurial spirit of an Indie, with the backing and resources of a global network.
It’s also an Australia and New Zealand positioning, which shows the confidence that Havas Group globally has in its Aussie outfit.
“We like to think and celebrate different, we show up different, we act different, we explore different and we hit different as an agency,” Wright said over tea at its offices in the old Bushell’s building in Sydney,
“And that difference that drives impact, so everyone’s really embraced this.”
The new positioning sings to Havas Group ANZ’s ambition to set a new industry benchmark as the region’s “most deliberately different holding company”.
It has brought its leadership team much closer together. As part of the announcement, Havas has promoted Richard Clarke, formerly chief growth and client officer at Havas Creative Network Australia to group chief growth and marketing officer for Havas ANZ.
Alastair Baker, who was previously chief planning officer at Havas Media Network Australia, now takes on the newly created role of chief AI officer for Havas ANZ.
Recently, Havas appointed Kate O’Ryan-Roeder, formerly with Mindshare, to lead Havas Media after industry legend Virginia Hyland left.
Havas’ approach to being a full service village of agencies is working, according to Wright.
“When you’re in a big group and you’ve got multiple capabilities, it’s a constant cycle of reminding both your teams and the clients you have that you do other offerings. I think we’ve got so much better at that recently,” he said.
“We’ve got clients that have only ever used us for ‘X’ and now going, we want to talk to you about, you know, ‘Y’ and ‘Z’. I would say the increase in the number of clients that are now using multiple (Havas) agencies this last year has hugely. This year it would be over a 20 per cent increase in the number of clients using multiple services.”
It’s not just organic growth where Havas is scoring runs. Globally, the holdco is investing $713 million in the next four years in AI technology.
“It’s not about doing AI for AI’s sake. It’s certainly having better guard rails on how we’re using it, where we’re using when we choose to use it or not use it. Because it’s not always a question of, can we use AI? It’s also a question of, should we be using it,” Wright said.
“We need to be very careful, guarded about how it’s being used. But you know, for the most part, I think we’ve, we’ve, we’ve struck that balance pretty well so far. But it’s a constant, I’d say it’s a constant cycle of wanting to keep learning to be on top of it.
“We’re putting processes on it. I think Alastair Baker coming in, taking this role, is going to give us a tremendous leap forward in the next 12 to 18 months, to really embed it as strategically as we can into the group.”
Clarke said that AI tech “definitely provides an efficiency point”, and “it allows an increased focus on creativity.
What we have strategic thinking and creativity is what we really see the benefit of”.
On their appointment of O’Ryan-Roeder, Wright said: “She’s got a great way about her, extremely likable, super smart, very strategic. She wants the opportunity to take the CEO role, and we’re absolutely delighted to be able to give it to her.”
Havas is betting on being ‘Deliberately Different’, with 20 per cent organic growth and a leadership restructure, they are one to watch in 2026.
“We’re here to be the deliberately different option, a different option to to what’s out there in the marketplace. And we’ve got tremendous talent here. We’ve got amazing clients, a lot of them are long term clients. We give confidence to clients when they see that the leadership group is quite solid.”
