RBR and BKA Join Forces

Media Release: June 2007

Robbins Brandt Richter (RBR) and Blackwood King Adpartners (BKA) join forces

Blackwood King Adpartners (BKA) and Robbins Brandt Richter (RBR) are joining forces to form a new integrated, full service, advertising and communications agency called Blackwood Communications Group (BCG).

James Blackwood, CEO and Executive Creative Director of the new group, says the new agency will combine the strategic planning and creative strengths of BKA with the direct marketing, CRM and data mining expertise of RBR.

“This is an ideal scenario, bringing together the best of BKA’s strategic and creative strengths and RBR’s sophisticated analytical tools and CRM resources. The depth that the new group provides allows us to offer best practise solutions above the line, through the line, and online and will impact positively on our clients from day one.

“BCG will deliver clients the best of both worlds from RBR and BKA, based on a philosophy of building deeper customer understanding and creating enduring emotional bonds to brands born from strategic insight and creativity.
“One of our tenets is to embrace rapidly-changing technologies that help us understand the real value of a customer. Another tenet is to deliver measurable returns on our clients advertising investment with us.”

He says BCG believes in fostering business partnerships with clients who value independent, customer-centric thinking and who regard advertising as an investment, not a cost.

"The new company will be able to deliver innovative and distinct services in competition with the large multi-national agencies operating in New Zealand, but with the kind of passion and commitment that comes from a group of talented individuals who have a stake in the business and the country. “

BKA and RBR have both won significant new business recently that will further strengthen the new venture, and sit alongside key accounts like Audi, ANZ Bank, Cavalier Bremworth, Woosh, the Department of Housing and Building, Levene, Victoria University, Pfizer Animal Health and GSK.

The merger means BCG will have significant presence in both Auckland and Wellington.

ASX-listed Photon Group will partner the new venture, which will give it access to a wide range of marketing talent, skills and technologies from within Australia, Europe the US and New Zealand.

In ensuring that BCG provides the best thinking, creative and client service, leading players from NZ are set to join the communications group shortly.

ENDS

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