Ideas agency Tongue will be folded into creative technology agency DT in what marks the first major agency consolidation since the WPP AUNZ merger.
Under the merger, the Tongue brand will disappear and a combined staff will work under the DT banner.
WPP AUNZ CEO Michael Connaghan says the aim is to build an agency with increased scale to “consult, create ideas, design and then build solutions across the entire need set of the modern CMO”.
“Bringing them together aligns with WPP AUNZ’s ‘fewer, bigger, better, stronger’ strategy and merges two successful agencies to create an even more robust business,” Connaghan says.
Under the arrangement, 100 existing staff will be retained and the merged entity will reside at WPP AUNZ's Kent St campus in Sydney. DT's Brian Vella will remain as CEO with Tongue managing partner John Du Vernet taking on an MD role.
“The modern CMO is a new breed. They adapt to answer market shifts or emerging trends with agility,” Du Vernet says.
“They demand style with substance. Creativity with technology. The modern CMO requires deep understanding of today’s customer behaviour. Now DT will deliver a reimagined take on brand experiences like no other.”
As part of the merger, Tongue executive ideas director and managing partner Jonathan Pease will be chief creative officer and Tongue managing partner Tim Sexton will be moved to a national employee experience-focused role.
Vella says the merger creates an even stronger multidisciplinary offer for clients.
“Tongue joining DT creates a more powerful player with ideas and innovation at its core and diverse expertise that few can compete with,” he says.
“Deep strategic capability and creativity and technology working together to create world-class brand experiences.”
The merger follows the departure of DT ECD Jerker Fagerström who left the agency last month to take on the ECD role at McCann Sydney. DT confirmed to AdNews that the role won't be replaced at the agency, with Pease's addition negating the need for it.
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