LANRE ADISA
Dreaming Beyond the Present
The Humble Start
Noah’s Ark, one of the nation’s fastest growing marketing communication outfits, is just eight years old. But if one looks at what it packs into its operational packages, one might be forgiven if he or she thinks the agency is 25 years old. That is the extent of its growth that many now see the agency as the reference point as far as integrated marketing communications in the country is concerned. Yet, the story has not always been that of instant success. Noah’s Ark crawled before it walked. Lanre Adisa, the Group Managing. Director of the outfit, has this to say:
“When Noah’s Ark opened shop eight years ago, we started small. We were a team of less than 10 men and women with no assured accounts or financial backing in the sea of very intimidating big players. But we had a big dream; a dream powered by a simple believable vision. Our vision was, and still remains, to be in the league of the most successful brand builders out of Africa.”
The Dentsu Connection
Last week, the agency took a step further in its quest to join this league. It signed an application agreement with London- based Dentsu Aegis Network, DAN. Such partnership should ordinarily have passed without attracting much fanfare. But when one takes the pedigree of Dentsu into consideration, perhaps one begins to appreciate the business coup Noah’s Ark had just pulled off.
Dentsu, from all indications, is a media and digital marketing communications company with presence in more than 145 countries but with headquarters in London, the capital of United Kingdom. It is owned by the Japanese advertising and public relations firm, Dentsu. According to information supplied by promoters of the company, “the international agency is into communications strategy which its carries out via digital creative execution, media planning and buying, sports marketing and content creation, brand tracking and marketing analytics.”
Interestingly, Dentsu has subsidiaries like Carat, Dentsu Media, Mcgarrybowen, MKTG, Posterscope, Isobar, iProspect and Vizeum. As at today, the international agency has over 30,000 staff across 145 countries. That is not all. As at 2011, the agency did a total billing of £ 1.4billion while operating income stands at £ 197million with net income standing at £ 81million.
‘Beyond Advertising Traditions
With an international agency with this pedigree entering into an affiliation ( though it called it application agreement) with Noah’s Ark, a statement has been made. It is not only that. It is also an indication that perhaps, operators of the nation’s advertising industry are beginning to think out of the box and see beyond the rudiments of traditional advertising.
Dentsu does not do traditional advertising as it is known, not 20 years ago, but today. It is more into media content development, digital media marketing as well as sports and entertainment marketing. Understanding where the future of the business lies is