Essence Global Explained

Essence
Type:Subsidiary
Industry:Information Technology, Advertising, Marketing
Fate:Merged with Mediacom to form EssenceMediacom
Successor:EssenceMediacom
Founder:Andrew ShebbeareAndy BonsallMatt Isaacs
Revenue:$4 billion (total billings)
Num Employees:2000
Parent:GroupM[1]
Locations:11

Essence was a global data and measurement-driven full service agency that merged with Mediacom in January 2023 to form Essence Mediacom,.[2] Prior to the merger, Essence had 20 offices in 12 countries and a staff of approximately 2,000. Essence managed over $4B in annualized media spend globally, with clients such as Google, The Financial Times,[3] Target,[4] NBCUniversal, BP, FrieslandCampina,[5] L’Oreal and Tesco Mobile. In 2015 Essence became majority owned by WPP, and a part of GroupM, the WPP media investment management operation.[6] It had offices in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, USA, Canada, Germany, and the UK.

Essence specialized in strategy, digital marketing, digital creative, media planning and buying, mobile advertising and analytics. It also included a dedicated technology business, 2Sixty Technologies, which developed platforms that underpinned the agency's services to clients as well as building bespoke technologies for clients including Google.[7] 2Sixty was subsequently merged with other GroupM technologies to form Choreograph.[8]

Matt Isaacs was CEO until May 2014 when he became Executive Chair and was succeeded as CEO by Christian Juhl and his ego.[9] Andrew Shebbeare was appointed Chair in Jan 2019. Kyoko Matsushita took over from Christian Juhl as CEO from October 2019, when Juhl moved to be CEO of GroupM.[10]

Corporate history

Essence was founded by Matt Isaacs, Andrew Shebbeare and Andy Bonsall who previously worked together at Accucard, a VC/PE backed credit-card company. Accucard was acquired by Lloyds Banking Group where they developed an in-house digital marketing arm called Create Services.[11]

In 2005 they created their own digital agency in London, Essence, with their first client being Carphone Warehouse boss, Sir Charles Dunstone.[12]

In 2006 Essence was hired by Google for a UK media and creative assignment. Today Essence is the digital media agency of record for Google in EMEA, NA and APAC.[13]

Essence has worked for domestic and international brands including L’Oreal, TalkTalk,[14] eBay,[15] Betfair,[16] Expedia,[17] Barclays,[18] YouTube,[19] Method,[20] DoubleDown Interactive,[21] HP, Viber,[22] Visa[23] and Intuit.[24]

Timeline

Notes and References

  1. http://www.wpp.com/wpp/companies/essence/ Essence Company Profile
  2. Web site: GroupM merges Essence and MediaCom News . 2024-03-18 . Research Live . en.
  3. News: Financial Times website celebrates 20-year anniversary with free 24-hour trial. The Drum. 2017-07-13. en.
  4. News: GroupM's Essence Doubles Billings by Adding Target, NBCUniversal. 2017-07-17. en.
  5. News: Yazoo owner FrieslandCampina appoints Essence to handle digital media across EMEA and South East Asia. The Drum. 2017-07-13. en.
  6. News: Why WPP's GroupM Is Buying Media Agency Essence Digital. 2017-07-13. en.
  7. Web site: The Essence of media: people, data and automation together Media . 2024-03-18 . Campaign Asia.
  8. Web site: WPP Launches Global Data Company: Choreograph™ . 2024-03-18 . GroupM . en-US.
  9. Web site: Rodgers . Zach . 2014-05-20 . Christian Juhl Named Global CEO At Essence . 2024-03-18 . AdExchanger . en-US.
  10. News: ESSENCE NAMES KYOKO MATSUSHITA AS ITS NEW GLOBAL CEO.
  11. Web site: Q&A: Matt Isaacs of £160m-turnover marketing agency Essence. LondonlovesBusiness. 2017-07-13.
  12. News: Growth Capital: Maths men are making it ad up nicely, thanks to all. 2014-07-14. Evening Standard. 2017-07-13. en-GB.
  13. Web site: Google and Essence. R3 Global 40. 2017-07-13.
  14. News: TalkTalk moves online media buying into CHI. 2017-07-13.
  15. News: EBay awards Essence online account. 2017-07-13.
  16. News: Betfair launches Euro Team Selector Facebook app with Essence. The Drum. 2017-07-13. en.
  17. News: Expedia appoints Essence to digital creative and media accounts. 2017-07-13.
  18. News: Barclays Corporate Banking unveils new ads with Essence and Ogilvy. The Drum. 2017-07-13. en.
  19. News: When Clients Let Media Agencies Take Risks, Good Things Happen [Updated]]. 2017-07-13. en-US.
  20. Web site: Method's 'Messy' Ad Campaign. www.mediapost.com. en. 2017-07-13.
  21. News: Free-to-Play Online Casino Brand Bets on Mobile. 2017-07-13. en.
  22. Web site: Viber Expands Global Footprint Increasing Focus on Marketing to the U.S.. www.businesswire.com. en. 2017-07-13.
  23. Web site: Visa Selects Starcom For $200 Million Global Media Duties. www.mediapost.com. en. 2017-07-13.
  24. Web site: Essence Wins AOR Assignment From Intuit. www.mediapost.com. en. 2017-07-13.
  25. Web site: Social media agency Punktilio acquired by Essence – another exit for Michael Birch TechCrunch. O'Hear. Steve. 2017-07-13.
  26. Web site: Essence Finds Some in Bay Area, U.K. Agency Acquires San Francisco's Black Bag. www.mediapost.com. en. 2017-07-13.
  27. News: Essence extends US footprint with mobile agency Point Reach buyout. The Drum. 2017-07-13. en.
  28. News: The Asia impact of GroupM’s Essence acquisition. Campaign Asia. 2017-07-13.
  29. News: Digital Catalyst: Q&A with Kyoko Matsushita, CEO of Essence APAC LadyBoss. 2017-05-25. LadyBoss Women Entrepreneurs Women Leaders in Asia. 2017-07-13. en-US.
  30. News: The chief digital officer of WPP's GroupM tells us why his company just acquired Google's digital media agency Essence. Business Insider. 2017-07-13. en.
  31. Web site: Essence Unveils New India Office. www.groupm.com. 2017-07-13.
  32. Web site: WPP - Essence - Los Angeles Office Profile. www.wpp.com. en. 2017-07-13.
  33. Web site: Essence stärkt weltweite Präsenz mit der Gründung eines Standorts in Düsseldorf. www.groupm-germany.de. de. 2017-08-29.
  34. News: Essence takes over Maxus in Korea. Campaign Asia. 2017-09-07.
  35. Web site: OMMA Agency Of The Year: Essence . 2024-03-18 . www.mediapost.com . en.

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