Serviceplan and Stagwell Form Strategic Alliance To Offer Scaled Media and Digital Set-Ups

Oct. 14, 2021

Serviceplan Group and Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) have formed a strategic alliance to serve international clients. Stagwell is now working hand in hand with Serviceplan’s media arm, Mediaplus Group. The two independent holdings will use their respective regional roots and strengths to cover and expand the market in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region and offer their complementary services to a more diverse group of clients. The focus is on mutual support in the conception, planning and implementation of media strategies for global clients.

Stagwell Chairman and CEO, Mark Penn said:

“This strategic alliance creates a solid alternative to the legacy holding companies that until now have been a marketer’s only option when they want global scale. Collaborating with Serviceplan enhances our ability to deliver integrated customer experiences and targeted media strategies tailored to local markets in Europe and Asia-Pacific.”

 

Serviceplan Group CEO, Florian Haller said:

“Stagwell’s technology-first approach and deep expertise in media, creative and digital transformation are well-matched to our capabilities and pave the way for rapid growth, scaled solutions and deeper local market expertise. This strategic alliance positions both companies to deliver unmatched business results for our clients.”

 

This strategic alliance meaningfully expands both holding companies’ traditional media capabilities across Europe and NAM, and digital media capabilities globally:

• Stagwell is the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. It is home to Stagwell Media Network, a group of leading multichannel agencies including Assembly, MMI Agency, Media Kitchen, and Grason, creative consultancy GALE, B2B specialist Multiview, and transcreation agency Locaria. SMN dynamically scales solutions spanning data, technology, media and creativity for global B2B and B2C companies, helping accelerate business growth. The network boasts more than 2500 experts across 20+ offices in 15 countries and manages close to $5 billion in media.
• Serviceplan Group with its media agency Mediaplus is Europe’s largest independent agency group and the largest independent media buyer in the region, with a 60-40 investment across digital and linear channels. Home to more than 4,400 employees across 24 locations in 17 countries, Serviceplan’s “House of Communications” approach drives results for clients including BMW, De’Longhi, Lufthansa and Siemens Healthineers.

Together, Stagwell and Serviceplan Group will oversee $10 billion in media and provide clients a wide range of scaled complimentary services across global media, content, and digital transformation solutions. As part of the partnership, Serviceplan Group and its clients will be able to leverage Stagwell’s impressive portfolio of cutting-edge SaaS digital marketing products, including Koalifyed, CUE, PRophet, and Harris Brand Platform. Stagwell's cooperation with Mediaplus provides access to the largest independent buying network in Europe and a unique portfolio of AI-based media planning tools and instruments.

Deirdre McGlashan, Chief Media Officer, Stagwell, said:

“With Serviceplan’s strong capabilities in local markets and the cross-border approach we both take, our globally combined 15,000 team members have exactly the right mix of digital and traditional media capabilities to drive greater results for our clients. Intentionally architected as a strengths-based partnership, we remain autonomous entities yet still have a ‘1+1=3’ effect.”

 

Matthias Brüll, Chief Executive Officer, Mediaplus International, added:

“Today, companies operate transcontinental, so we also have to set up the strategy, planning and buying of media across all borders. With Stagwell, we have found our counterpart as an independent yet internationally active agency network on the other side of the Atlantic. Through the cooperation, we use the synergies from the cultural, geographical and service competencies of our organizations to build a strategic alliance for the benefit of our teams, our industry and our clients."

 

To ring in the partnership, Stagwell and Serviceplan Group will launch a global thought leadership series with programming covering global market expansion, global media strategies, the trend towards the union of media and creativity and more. Additional details will be announced soon.