Agency.com
Encyclopedia
Agency.com is an interactive marketing agency based in New York City
with offices worldwide. The company is a part of Omnicom Group
Inc. and has approximately 500 employees in eleven offices on three continents. Services include website design and development, interactive marketing, search marketing and rich media development.
, was acquired in 1998 to provide Agency.com with its first international location.
In 1998, the company merged with Eagle River Interactive to form what was, at the time, the largest interactive marketing agency in the world. Other acquisitions in 1998 included Spiral Media in New York and Interactive Solutions in Boston
. In 1999 the company acquired iTraffic to bolster its online marketing services offering. Digital Vision Communications was acquired in 1999 in order to give the company a full service presence in the Chicago
market.
In December of that year, the company went public, and was listed on the NASDAQ
stock exchange as ACOM. Initiated in 2001 and completed in 2003, the company was taken private by an investment firm. It was later sold to Omnicom.
In 2004, iTraffic was absorbed into the Agency.com operating structure. That same year, the company also acquired Exile on Seventh and absorbed its Internet marketing operations into its San Francisco office.
In 2005 the company passed its 10 year anniversary of incorporation and was named “Best Creative Agency” by OMMA Magazine, and “B-to-B Interactive Agency of the Year” by BtoB Magazine. The 2006 Forrester
Wave Report identified Agency.com as one of the top 3 European Interactive agencies.
In 2006, Agency.com expanded operations in Europe with the rebranding of Hypervision in Belgium and TEQUILA\Digital in Italy.
In 2008, co-founder Chan Suh returned to the position of CEO at the fledgling agency. However, in late 2009 co-founder Chan Suh and EVP Ken Trush resigned from their positions with the company as a result of an impending merger with fellow Omnicom agency TBWA\Chiat\Day.
In 2010, Omnicom announced the dismantling of Agency.com in the United States, but the brand remained in Europe.
account uploaded onto YouTube
.com. The purpose of the pitch video upload appears to have been an attempt to show Agency.com's online innovation to Subway by including a "viral" component in the pitch by documenting the pitch process itself and uploading it for all the world to see, discuss, and pass around. The term, "When we roll, we roll big" was used by an Agency.com employee in the video.
Judged by comments posted on industry blogs like AdRants, AdWeek Magazine's AdFreak, Leo Burnett's Fruits of Imagination and Iain Tait's Crackunit.com the vast majority of industry response to Agency.com’s tactic has been overwhelmingly negative. Many comments on YouTube have also noted that the positive comments that were made by YouTube members who have had accounts that, in many cases, were just hours old, adding to suspicion that the positive “buzz” on the YouTube site was merely Agency.com employees patting themselves on their virtual backs.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with offices worldwide. The company is a part of Omnicom Group
Omnicom Group
Omnicom Group is a holding company whose agencies provide marketing and communications services in the disciplines of advertising, customer relationship management , strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and...
Inc. and has approximately 500 employees in eleven offices on three continents. Services include website design and development, interactive marketing, search marketing and rich media development.
Company history
On February 10, 1995, Agency.com was incorporated by Chan Suh and Kyle Shannon to provide website development and interactive marketing services. Omnicom Group Inc. purchased a significant minority investment in 1996, providing capitalization for growth into the rapidly expanding market for interactive services. Online Magic, a UK-based interactive marketing firm established by ad agency DDB WorldwideDDB Worldwide
DDB Worldwide Communications Group Inc., known internationally as DDB, is a worldwide marketing communications network. It is owned by Omnicom Group Inc, one of the world's largest advertising holding companies...
, was acquired in 1998 to provide Agency.com with its first international location.
In 1998, the company merged with Eagle River Interactive to form what was, at the time, the largest interactive marketing agency in the world. Other acquisitions in 1998 included Spiral Media in New York and Interactive Solutions in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. In 1999 the company acquired iTraffic to bolster its online marketing services offering. Digital Vision Communications was acquired in 1999 in order to give the company a full service presence in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
market.
In December of that year, the company went public, and was listed on the NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
stock exchange as ACOM. Initiated in 2001 and completed in 2003, the company was taken private by an investment firm. It was later sold to Omnicom.
In 2004, iTraffic was absorbed into the Agency.com operating structure. That same year, the company also acquired Exile on Seventh and absorbed its Internet marketing operations into its San Francisco office.
In 2005 the company passed its 10 year anniversary of incorporation and was named “Best Creative Agency” by OMMA Magazine, and “B-to-B Interactive Agency of the Year” by BtoB Magazine. The 2006 Forrester
Forrester
Forrester may refer to:* Forrester Research, a market research company* Forrester RFC, a Scottish Rugby Union football club* Forrester , people with the surname Forrester-See also:...
Wave Report identified Agency.com as one of the top 3 European Interactive agencies.
In 2006, Agency.com expanded operations in Europe with the rebranding of Hypervision in Belgium and TEQUILA\Digital in Italy.
In 2008, co-founder Chan Suh returned to the position of CEO at the fledgling agency. However, in late 2009 co-founder Chan Suh and EVP Ken Trush resigned from their positions with the company as a result of an impending merger with fellow Omnicom agency TBWA\Chiat\Day.
In 2010, Omnicom announced the dismantling of Agency.com in the United States, but the brand remained in Europe.
Industry recognition
Following are some key awards and recognitions of distinction earned by the company:- “Revolution Awards Agency of the Year, 2007”
- 2007 Effie Awards Gold Medal Winner, Retail Campaign, eBay” Effie Awards
- “Cannes Cyber Lions 2006 – Online Advertising Finalist, British Airways, Dulux” IPA
- “2005 Interactive Agency of the Year“ B-to-B Magazine
- “Best Full-Service Interactive Agency, 2000” ADWEEK
Viral marketing controversy
A 2006 ad campaign by Agency.com involved an experimental "viral" pitch video for the Subway (restaurant)Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
account uploaded onto YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.com. The purpose of the pitch video upload appears to have been an attempt to show Agency.com's online innovation to Subway by including a "viral" component in the pitch by documenting the pitch process itself and uploading it for all the world to see, discuss, and pass around. The term, "When we roll, we roll big" was used by an Agency.com employee in the video.
Judged by comments posted on industry blogs like AdRants, AdWeek Magazine's AdFreak, Leo Burnett's Fruits of Imagination and Iain Tait's Crackunit.com the vast majority of industry response to Agency.com’s tactic has been overwhelmingly negative. Many comments on YouTube have also noted that the positive comments that were made by YouTube members who have had accounts that, in many cases, were just hours old, adding to suspicion that the positive “buzz” on the YouTube site was merely Agency.com employees patting themselves on their virtual backs.