Isobar (digital marketing agency)
Encyclopedia
Isobar is the world's largest digital agency
network. It is part of Aegis Media and therefore a wholly owned subsidiary of Aegis Group plc
.
Aegis launched its first digital business in 1995 in the UK. By 2000 it was operating in the top 10 markets of the world. Whilst being primarily focused on online media it had acquired some small creative assets in the US, Germany and Spain. An informal global management team was formed to help spread best practice and this became an important forum during the dotcom crash to ensure that the businesses were properly supported at that time. This helped ensure that as a group they went into the crash with 200 people and came out of the crash with 200 people.
When the first green shoots of recovery in online advertising were tracked at the end of 2002, the Group decided to undertake a wide ranging strategic review of digital marketing. Conducted during Q1 of 2003, this looked at our current business, the agency market, the consumer and future client needs.
As a result of this a separate division to align, integrate and manage all the digital assets within Aegis was created in May 2003. It was branded Isobar on 5 July 2004.
Agencies part of the Isobar network include:
Digital agency
A digital or new media agency is a business that delivers services for the creative and technical development of internet based products. These services range from the more generalist such as web design, e-mail marketing and microsites etc...
network. It is part of Aegis Media and therefore a wholly owned subsidiary of Aegis Group plc
Aegis Group plc
Aegis Group plc is a global media and digital marketing communications group. Aegis plc has two operating businesses, Aegis Media and Aztec, the scan-based market and consumer insights company...
.
Aegis launched its first digital business in 1995 in the UK. By 2000 it was operating in the top 10 markets of the world. Whilst being primarily focused on online media it had acquired some small creative assets in the US, Germany and Spain. An informal global management team was formed to help spread best practice and this became an important forum during the dotcom crash to ensure that the businesses were properly supported at that time. This helped ensure that as a group they went into the crash with 200 people and came out of the crash with 200 people.
When the first green shoots of recovery in online advertising were tracked at the end of 2002, the Group decided to undertake a wide ranging strategic review of digital marketing. Conducted during Q1 of 2003, this looked at our current business, the agency market, the consumer and future client needs.
As a result of this a separate division to align, integrate and manage all the digital assets within Aegis was created in May 2003. It was branded Isobar on 5 July 2004.
General information
As of February 2011, Isobar has over 2000 people with offices in 32 markets worldwide. Effective May 2010, all operating units within the Isobar agency network will incorporate the new Isobar brand identity.Agencies part of the Isobar network include:
- glue Isobar (UK),
- wwwins Isobar (Greater ChinaGreater ChinaGreater China is a term used to refer to mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. As a "phrase of the moment", the precise meaning is not entirely clear, and people may use it for only the commercial ties, only the cultural actions, or even as a euphemism for the Two Chinas, while others may...
), - AgenciaClick Isobar (BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
), - Age Isobar (BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
), - Marvellous (UK),
- Netthink Isobar (SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
), - Chewing Com (FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
), - Planete Interactive (FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
), - Xenion Isobar (GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
), - Kirowski (HungaryHungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
), - AdWatch Isobar (RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
), - IF Isobar (Malaysia),
- Whitesheep Isobar (FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
), - Hypermedia Isobar (PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
), - View Isobar (PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
), - Trigger Isobar (South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
), - Isobar (South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
]
Corporate history
- July 2004: official launch of network under the Isobar brand and acquisition of Chinese digital agency wwwins
- December 2004: acquired US search marketing firm iProspect
- January 2005: acquired UK creative web build agency de-construct and Swedish creative agency Farfar
- April 2005: acquired US web build and ecommerce specialist Molecular
- August 2005: acquired UK creative agency Glue
- October 2005: acquired Hungarian agency Kirowski
- February 2006: acquired US word-of-mouth agency Ammo
- February 2007: acquired Brazilian digital agency AgenciaClick
- February 2007: acquired South African digital agency Trigger
- August 2007: acquired ION Global in Korea, Hong Kong (to merge with wwwins) and San Francisco (to merge with Molecular)
- November 2007: acquired Canadian full-service digital agency MindblossomMindblossomMindblossom is a Canadian Digital Marketing Agency who are owned by Aegis Media and are part of the Isobar network, the world’s largest digital marketing network....
- June 2008: acquired Russian full-service digital agency AdWatch
- October 2008: acquired IF Malaysia agency
- May 2010: New Isobar structure and global leadership team
- March 2011: Isobar MENA (Middle East & North Africa) founded
- August 2011: Isobar Mobile launches
External links
- Official website
- Profile in the Financial Times, April 2007
- Article in The Times Newspaper featuring interview with Isobar CEO, April 2007
- Advertising Age magazine feature giving details of all leading agencies., May 2006 (See pages 6 and 7 for details on Isobar companies in the US).
- Comparison of size of UK digital agencies by New Media Age magazine, early 2006 details on isobar
- April 2005 Comparison of US digital agencies by AdWeek magazine (scroll down to see details on Isobar)
- Two part in-depth interview from January 2005 with US head of Isobar documenting early history Part 1, Part 2