M&C Saatchi Performance, U.K.’s leading full service performance marketing agency, launches in South Africa. M&C Saatchi Performance to function alongside M&C Saatchi Abel, thereby cross leveraging the South African Agency’s well established creative and strategic resources.
“M&C Saatchi Performance has well established London, New York, Los Angeles and Paris offices. We are delighted to announce the expansion of our Mobile offerings to South Africa” said James Hilton, Global CEO of M&C Saatchi Performance, in Sandton today.
“We pride ourselves in being a true full service mobile and tablet marketing agency. We can assist with both the strategic and tactical approach to making mobile and tablet an integral part of the marketing strategy. This includes every kind of mobile mechanism available, from the simplest SMS through to smartphone applications and everything in between.”
“Since 2006 we’ve helped some of the world’s leading brands including BMW, Pfizer, DIOR, Topman, Reebok, Yahoo, Financial Times, Mini, BBC, Faberge, Speedo, Gordon Ramsay, Hyundai and Harper Collins, to understand the mobile channel and harness it to best support their business needs. We think beyond the channel. Our strategy arm can help with everything from developing profitable mobile solutions through to integrating mobile into current products and services.”
“When you consider South Africa has almost 100% cell phone penetration, 14 Million+ mobile data consumers and a 15% (7.5 million) smartphone penetration, we see huge opportunities for Mobile and Tablet marketing both in SA and into Africa. We anticipate the domestic Mobile media market that soared to R500m in 2011, to soon be a billion rand plus market. Mobile media is the only cost effective way to reach a vast audience with ever increasing precision.”
“Tablet usage in SA is growing at a rapid rate with an estimated 460,000 users as at end May 2012. At present brands are only touching the surface of what the tablet has to offer in terms of engagement levels internally and externally. As tablet devices become ever more ubiquitous on couches and coffee tables, marketing agencies and brands really will have to sit up and take notice of this undeniably powerful platform.”
“Mobile phone service is gaining by leaps and bounds in Africa. Indeed, so many Africans have subscribed to wireless service that the continent is now the second-largest market in the world – having supplanted Latin America — and behind only Asia, the top market “said Hilton.
Tasked with leading M&C Saatchi Performance South Africa is Zeyad Davids. Having spent 14 years in leading roles in the Digital space in Australia, he returned to South Africa over 2 years ago as Managing Partner, Digital at M&C Saatchi Abel.
“Mobile is truly the “First Screen” today and thinking of it as the third screen is losing sight of how consumers are living their lives and the role of mobile devices in enabling deeper brand connections as well as transactional opportunities.”
“M&C Saatchi Performance South Africa will launch as a fully-fledged, stand alone, Mobile Marketing Services agency, offering three core services – Media planning and buying, Creative & Production and Consulting. Our media buying service stands to offer Clients the benefit of harnessing the significant media spend volumes that M&C Saatchi Performance currently manages globally.”
“It is our overarching objective to provide clients with simple, easily understood products and services that fully exploit the mobile and tablet marketing opportunity.
In essence, ‘the plug and play of mobile marketing’. We will leverage the credentials of and lessons learnt by the U.K.’s leading Performance Marketing Agency, M&C Saatchi Performance. At the same time we will access the creative and strategic communication resources of M&C Saatchi Abel, recently judged by Finweek as South Africa’s Breakthrough Agency of 2012” said Zeyad, Managing Director, M&C Saatchi Performance.
“Our talent pool will ensure specialist input across all 3 of our core services. Tracy Kruger, who assumes the position of Mobile Business Consultant, has recently spent time in the London Mobile Office. In addition, we have access to 70 highly talented and experienced employees in the London, New York, Los Angeles and Paris M&C Saatchi Performance offices which gives us direct access to global best ideas and innovations.”
“There is no doubt Mobile is set to revolutionize Africa. It has enabled small and large business enterprises to flourish. Through enabling ease of access to information and consumers, mobile becomes the future business opportunity. Mobile technology has driven change and will continue to do so at an ever increasing rate as technology evolves and as we learn to harness it’s potential. At M&C Saatchi Performance South Africa, we are determined to ensure we harness this potential to the benefit of our Client’s top line results” concluded Zeyad.
M&C Saatchi Performance will be opening an additional office in Sydney before year end.
Telephonic interviews – Zeyad Davids, Managing Director, M&C Saatchi Performance.
T+27 21 421 1024. M +27 76 010 4722.
E-mail: zeyad.davids@mcsaatchimobile.co.za
Issued by: Bill Stephens – Executive Consultant PR
T +27 21 421 1024. M +27 82 558 9761
