#AdForumSummit: Reinvigoration through PR, gender balance & trends

by Johanna McDowell. On Day 2 we visited MullenLowe, Project Worldwide, Oath, Kiip, WPP (Mark Read), TBWA and CP+B.

BMW leaves Ireland/Davenport for OpenCo

by MarkLives (@marklives) BMW will be parting ways with its South Africa agency, Ireland/Davenport (a WPP agency), after a decade of working together. BMW was Ireland /Davenport’s founding client. The BMW business will be taken over by Openco (majority owned by TBWA\South Africa).

TBWA plans up to six acquisitions

by Herman Manson (@marklives) TBWA is looking at as many as six more acquisitions spread out over the next four quarters, says Derek Bouwer, ‎CEO at TBWA\South Africa. At the end of 2013, TBWA acquired 80% stake in youth marketing agency, HDI Youth Marketeers. It also increased its stake in marketing agency Openco to 51% from a previous holding of 30%.

M&A spree even as new ownership rules loom

by Herman Manson (@marklives) The South African ad industry has recently seen a series of takeovers and mergers of high-profile independent agencies by global communications networks — WPP and Publicis, specifically — thanks to accelerated interest in the African comms landscape and a cheap rand. Some independents are worried by the Competition Commission’s seeming lack of concern regarding this acquisition spree and the increased local-market dominance.

Grey is back, and heading north

by Herman Manson (@marklives) Volcano, an agency that this year entered its 21st year in operation the South African ad industry, has been resisting offers from the multinational networks for years. But, a year ago, WPP suddenly closed down its SA agency for Grey. Negotiations with Volcano started soon afterwards.

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