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Essence was a global data and measurement-driven full service agency that merged with Mediacom in January 2023 to form Essence Mediacom,.[3] 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,[4] Target,[1] NBCUniversal,[1] 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]

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.[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

  • 2005: Essence founded in London by Andrew Shebbeare, Andy Bonsall and Matt Isaacs
  • 2010: Essence opens NYC office
  • 2011: Essence acquires Punktilio in London[25]
  • 2012: Essence acquires Black Bag Advertising in San Francisco[26]
  • 2012: Essence acquires Point Reach in Seattle[27]
  • 2013: Essence opens Singapore office[28]
  • 2014: Essence opens Tokyo office,[29] Matt Isaacs becomes Executive Chair, succeeded by Christian Juhl as CEO[9]
  • 2015: Essence is bought by WPP Group[30]
  • 2016: Essence opens offices in Sydney, Chicago, Shanghai and Delhi[31]
  • 2017: Essence opens offices Los Angeles,[32] Düsseldorf[33] and Seoul[34]
  • 2018: Essence opens offices in Bengaluru, Jakarta, Melbourne, Mumbai
  • 2019: Essence named as Mediapost's agency of the year[35]
  • 2019: Kyoko Matsushita named as new CEO, Christian Juhl moves to be new GroupM CEO[10]
  • 2023: Essence merges with Mediacom to form Essence Mediacom[3]

References

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