Zentropy Partners
Encyclopedia
Zentropy Partners is the defunct name for an existing global internet professional services company headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. The company was co-founded by Patrick Bradley and Ryan Magnussen
in 1995 with the aim of becoming the global provider of Internet services. For the next several years Zentropy gained recognition for excellence in interactive web-page design, notably developing the "Nesquik pan-European Strategy" which would serve as a model for child-oriented website design in the UK. The company expanded and established as many as 47 offices worldwide with locations in the USA, Europe, and Australia.
By the early 2000s, Zentopy Partners was considered one of the leading website development and e-commerce agencies in Central London, and in 2001 Zentropy Partners was named "New Media Agency
of the Year" in the UK. The same year, Zentropy Partners was awarded a gold Clio Award
under the category of Interactive Advertising for developing a homepage for the Laramara Foundation.
The name "Zentropy" is a play on the words "Zen
" (the doctrine that enlightenment can be obtained through direct intuitive insight) and "Entropy
" (a measure of the amount of energy in a system that is available for work). Taken together, "Zentropy" is said to represent a concept of chaos becoming order, then becoming chaos once again.
when Zentropy Inc. was a fledgling Los Angeles interactive agency started by Patrick Bradley and Ryan Magnussen
, Free Preview - WSJ.com shortly before the internet boom of the late 1990s. From 1995 to 2003, as large corporations rushed to develop the online components of their organizations, Zentropy Partners facilitated the design and development of several large name internet sites. Their portfolio of clients included Sprint, Coca-Cola, GM, Johnson & Johnson, Nestle, Unilever and Microsoft. In 2001, Zentropy Partners was named "New Media Agency
of the Year" in the UK.
By 1998, Zentropy Partners had purchased and incorporated the advertising firms: Digital Café
, Shandwick Interactive, and the French MDEO. In 1999, Zentropy Partners was purchased by the Interpublic Group of Companies
(NYSE: IPG), which merged it with six of its other web companies in an attempt to create a leading digital advertising and web development and design entity. Interpublic Group operated Zentropy Partners within its McCann-Erickson WorldGroup division as McCann-Erickson's "digital arm." At this time, several offices across the world took on the Zentropy branding, giving the Zentropy Partners subsidiary an international presence. Locations included Los Angeles, London, New York, Paris, Frankfurt, Madrid, Minneapolis, and Sydney.
Between 2000 and 2003, Zentopy Partners gained recognition within advertising circles for excellence in website design, and it came to be considered one of the leading website development and e-commerce agencies in Central London. In 2000 Zentropy Partners won awards for or was otherwise recognized for designing websites for Northwest Airlines, GM, and Purina Dog Chow. In October 2000 Zentropy Partners entered into partnership with iSky to develop eBusiness strategies for their Fortune 1000
clients.
In 2001 Zentropy Partners designed websites for Purina RightBites, Good Humor-Breyers Ice Cream, the US Navy, and Unilever, and it began developing Media Skins using QuickTime 5 In December 2001 it was named "New Media Agency
of the Year" in the UK., and it was awarded a gold Clio Award
under the category of Interactive Advertising for developing a homepage for the Laramara Foundation in 2001 (previously having won the Grand Award for Best of Show at the New York Festivals 2000 International New Media Competition). In May 2001, amongst an atmosphere of decreasing earnings and profits, IPG realigned many of its subdivisions and merged McCann Relationship Marketing with Zentropy Partners. At this time it was decided that use of the Zentropy name would be reduced and that the newly organized division would shift to operation under the name MRM Partners Worldwide.
In 2002, Zentropy Partners designed websites for Reebok and Earl Jean. In 2003 Zentropy Partners shifted its marketing strategy from traditional online marketing strategies (emphasizing customer experience, trust and usability) to emerging advertising forms and began to explore flashmob
s and viral marketing
. In 2004 Zentropy Partners' Tourism Ireland
banner campaign was recognized by One Show Interactive
as one of the year's Best Interactive and New Media Advertising efforts.
In early 2009, MRM Worldwide closed its offices at 5700 Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles, CA, where XZentropy Partners had been located.
Ryan Magnussen
Ryan Magnussen is an American businessperson and media entrepreneur. In 1995, he founded Zentropy Partners, which grew to become the fifth-largest interactive advertising agency in the United States...
in 1995 with the aim of becoming the global provider of Internet services. For the next several years Zentropy gained recognition for excellence in interactive web-page design, notably developing the "Nesquik pan-European Strategy" which would serve as a model for child-oriented website design in the UK. The company expanded and established as many as 47 offices worldwide with locations in the USA, Europe, and Australia.
By the early 2000s, Zentopy Partners was considered one of the leading website development and e-commerce agencies in Central London, and in 2001 Zentropy Partners was named "New Media Agency
Media agency
A media agency is a company which help companies to communicate with current and potential consumers and/or the general public.These agencies work with their clients to understand the business issues, their markets and their consumers...
of the Year" in the UK. The same year, Zentropy Partners was awarded a gold Clio Award
Clio Awards
The Clio Awards are annual awards bestowed to reward innovation and creative excellence in advertising, design and communication. The categories include work in nearly all types of media, and the judges are advertising professionals from around the world....
under the category of Interactive Advertising for developing a homepage for the Laramara Foundation.
The name "Zentropy" is a play on the words "Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
" (the doctrine that enlightenment can be obtained through direct intuitive insight) and "Entropy
Entropy
Entropy is a thermodynamic property that can be used to determine the energy available for useful work in a thermodynamic process, such as in energy conversion devices, engines, or machines. Such devices can only be driven by convertible energy, and have a theoretical maximum efficiency when...
" (a measure of the amount of energy in a system that is available for work). Taken together, "Zentropy" is said to represent a concept of chaos becoming order, then becoming chaos once again.
Corporate history
The company was founded in 1995 and was purchased by IPGInterpublic Group of Companies
The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. is one of the "big four" global advertising holding companies . Headquartered in New York City, it has 41,000 employees and reported full−year revenues of US$6.5 billion for 2010...
when Zentropy Inc. was a fledgling Los Angeles interactive agency started by Patrick Bradley and Ryan Magnussen
Ryan Magnussen
Ryan Magnussen is an American businessperson and media entrepreneur. In 1995, he founded Zentropy Partners, which grew to become the fifth-largest interactive advertising agency in the United States...
, Free Preview - WSJ.com shortly before the internet boom of the late 1990s. From 1995 to 2003, as large corporations rushed to develop the online components of their organizations, Zentropy Partners facilitated the design and development of several large name internet sites. Their portfolio of clients included Sprint, Coca-Cola, GM, Johnson & Johnson, Nestle, Unilever and Microsoft. In 2001, Zentropy Partners was named "New Media Agency
Media agency
A media agency is a company which help companies to communicate with current and potential consumers and/or the general public.These agencies work with their clients to understand the business issues, their markets and their consumers...
of the Year" in the UK.
By 1998, Zentropy Partners had purchased and incorporated the advertising firms: Digital Café
Digital Cafe
Digital Café is the name of a new media company founded in early 1991 by Dean Hyers and Mike Koenigs . It operated for 7 years independently in St...
, Shandwick Interactive, and the French MDEO. In 1999, Zentropy Partners was purchased by the Interpublic Group of Companies
Interpublic Group of Companies
The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. is one of the "big four" global advertising holding companies . Headquartered in New York City, it has 41,000 employees and reported full−year revenues of US$6.5 billion for 2010...
(NYSE: IPG), which merged it with six of its other web companies in an attempt to create a leading digital advertising and web development and design entity. Interpublic Group operated Zentropy Partners within its McCann-Erickson WorldGroup division as McCann-Erickson's "digital arm." At this time, several offices across the world took on the Zentropy branding, giving the Zentropy Partners subsidiary an international presence. Locations included Los Angeles, London, New York, Paris, Frankfurt, Madrid, Minneapolis, and Sydney.
Between 2000 and 2003, Zentopy Partners gained recognition within advertising circles for excellence in website design, and it came to be considered one of the leading website development and e-commerce agencies in Central London. In 2000 Zentropy Partners won awards for or was otherwise recognized for designing websites for Northwest Airlines, GM, and Purina Dog Chow. In October 2000 Zentropy Partners entered into partnership with iSky to develop eBusiness strategies for their Fortune 1000
Fortune 1000
Fortune 1000 is a reference to a list maintained by the American business magazine Fortune. The list is of the 1000 largest American companies, ranked on revenues alone...
clients.
In 2001 Zentropy Partners designed websites for Purina RightBites, Good Humor-Breyers Ice Cream, the US Navy, and Unilever, and it began developing Media Skins using QuickTime 5 In December 2001 it was named "New Media Agency
Media agency
A media agency is a company which help companies to communicate with current and potential consumers and/or the general public.These agencies work with their clients to understand the business issues, their markets and their consumers...
of the Year" in the UK., and it was awarded a gold Clio Award
Clio Awards
The Clio Awards are annual awards bestowed to reward innovation and creative excellence in advertising, design and communication. The categories include work in nearly all types of media, and the judges are advertising professionals from around the world....
under the category of Interactive Advertising for developing a homepage for the Laramara Foundation in 2001 (previously having won the Grand Award for Best of Show at the New York Festivals 2000 International New Media Competition). In May 2001, amongst an atmosphere of decreasing earnings and profits, IPG realigned many of its subdivisions and merged McCann Relationship Marketing with Zentropy Partners. At this time it was decided that use of the Zentropy name would be reduced and that the newly organized division would shift to operation under the name MRM Partners Worldwide.
In 2002, Zentropy Partners designed websites for Reebok and Earl Jean. In 2003 Zentropy Partners shifted its marketing strategy from traditional online marketing strategies (emphasizing customer experience, trust and usability) to emerging advertising forms and began to explore flashmob
FlashMob
FlashMob is a band formed in Nashville, Tennessee featuring Meghan Kabir. The band signed a record deal with Warner Brothers in spring 2010....
s and viral marketing
Viral marketing
Viral marketing, viral advertising, or marketing buzz are buzzwords referring to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of viruses...
. In 2004 Zentropy Partners' Tourism Ireland
Tourism Ireland
Tourism Ireland is the marketing body responsible for marketing the island of Ireland overseas...
banner campaign was recognized by One Show Interactive
The One Club
Founded in New York City as The One Club for Art & Copy, The One Club produces three annual award competitions: One Show, One Show Design, and One Show Interactive...
as one of the year's Best Interactive and New Media Advertising efforts.
In early 2009, MRM Worldwide closed its offices at 5700 Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles, CA, where XZentropy Partners had been located.