EXCLUSIVE: Aegis Media-owned brand Vizeum is to re-launch in the Australian market with 20 staff and $40 million in billings, pulling its strength and numbers from the Havas-Aegis joint venture MPG Sydney.
All MPG Sydney clients except Optus will become Vizeum clients, with a large portion of staff also making the move. MPG Sydney's client list includes Peugeot, Nikon, HSBC, Tourism Northern Territory and Carnival Cruises.
MPG Sydney is currently defending the $73 million Optus media account against Starcom. If MPG loses Optus, the agency will be left with no clients.
MPG managing director Kristian Barnes will take on a new role as Aegis Media Pacific chief commercial officer, overseeing a strategic unit that sits above the Aegis stable of agencies.
Nick Behr, former managing director of MPG's digital arm Media Contacts, has been appointed general manager of Vizeum Sydney. Meanwhile, Jason Dooris remains general manager of MPG Sydney, overseeing the one remaining Sydney account, Optus. MPG Melbourne remains unaffected, with Melissa Roberts at the helm as managing director.
Aegis Media Pacific chief executive Luke Littlefield told AdNews: "MPG is a joint venture with Havas, but Aegis Group wholly owns Vizeum. In terms of brand preference, we'll drive brands that form part of the Aegis Group.
"Vizeum will launch in Sydney initially and expand nationally in the future. It's great to bring this global brand to Australia with the strength of the local Aegis Media group behind it."
In 2009, Aegis launched Vizeum, but the brand has remained dormant. At the end of last year, Aegis Media pitched for the Westpac media account under the Vizeum banner, using resources from independent agency Razor Group, but was unsuccessful.
The MPG joint-venture contract between Havas and Aegis comes to an end in mid-2012, after being extended for 12 months last year. Littlefield said "discussions" will be held regarding the partnership later in the year.
In late 2010, AdNews tipped that MPG and Vizeum would merge, following Aegis Media's $363 million acquisition of Mitchell Communication Group.
Meanwhile, AdNews also revealed last year that the other two media agencies in the Aegis stable, Mitchell & Partners and Carat, may also merge in the Sydney market.
The move comes as Aegis Group this week pulled off a major coup, winning the US$3 billion global media account for General Motors. Aegis Group chief executive Jerry Buhlmann said in an email to staff that the win was the "largest ever single media agency consolidation by a major global advertiser".
In Australia, the General Motors-owned Holden business, worth $53 million in billings, will move from Starcom Melbourne to one of the agencies in the Aegis-Mitchell axis.
This article first appeared in the 27 January 2012 edition of AdNews. Click here to subscribe for more news, features and opinion.
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