MWC: O&M buy SA mobile marketers

At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Ogilvy & Mather announced that it has acquired a majority share in Strike Media Proprietary Limited.

Strike Media (Strike) is a full service mobile marketing company with technology capabilities that enable it to stretch from customized mobile campaigns and added value mobile services to mobile payment and mobile business and integration solutions. Strike is currently engaged in providing mobile consulting to some of the country’s best-known brands and organizations.

“The timing of this acquisition is even more pertinent given the fact that we are announcing the partnership while actively participating in the 2013 Mobile World Congress,”” stated Miles Young, Worldwide Chairman and CEO Ogilvy & Mather. “”Unlimited connectivity is the next state of progression and regions like Africa and Asia are core drivers in this evolution. Consumers are naturally adopting the phone as their primary means for communication. Welcoming Strike Media to the Ogilvy & Mather family is further proof of our commitment to growth in the evolving mobile marketing space.””

As the world’s largest digital agency with 8,000 digital specialists worldwide, Ogilvy & Mather has made a number of strategic digital acquisitions over the past year. Innovative digital companies such as Effective UI and The Royal Order in the US: DT Digital in Australia and both Foster and Possible in Brazil make Ogilvy & Mather well poised to continue to dominate in this crucial medium.

Strike CEO, Russel Stromin, who is one of South Africa’s leading IT pioneers, describes O&M as an ideal partner. “”Mobile needs to be integrated into the full marketing mix at many points along the customer journey and Ogilvy & Mather South Africa has a class leading approach to integrated marketing and understands the potential for mobile to truly transform marketing. Mobile has the power to revolutionize clients’ business and brands as it is playing a significant role in enhancing customer experience,”” says Stromin.

Strike will continue to operate as a separate company but will form part of the global Mobile@Ogilvy practice. Martin Lange, Executive Marketing Director of Digital Strategy and global head of Mobile@Ogilvy, describes the Strike acquisition as a momentous shift for Ogilvy’s mobile ambitions in Africa. “”Mobile is the medium that will galvanize African marketing. It is wonderful to be in partnership with Strike at this exciting time,”” says Lange.

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