Continuing to go from strength to greater strength, ICOM, one of the world's largest global networks of independent agencies offering advertising, marketing communications, media, digital and related services, has appointed new agency members, K2, based in Warsaw, and Fitzroy, based in Amsterdam.
K2 membership includes K2 Agency, founded in 1998 and now the largest independent full-service online/offline creative agency in Poland, and sister agency K2 Precise, the data and media division that aims to become the country’s leading digital precision-marketing agency by being data-driven and results-oriented.
“We know that one can drown in data,” said Kasia Wisniewska, K2 Precise managing director. “Our role is to collect, connect, and understand how everything works together. We do this to find valuable insights into consumers and to create a coherent communication action plan and achieve measurable above-average results.”
Noted ICOM Executive Director Emma Keenan, “K2 is a large, award-winning organization, handling many well-known multinational brands - Carrefour, Danone, IKEA, Netflix, Samsung among them - as well as local ones. The agency excels in creating interactive experiences for brands developed by a big data/analytics/digital-tech team that works alongside creative and media teams. Their work is superb.”
Krystyna Szlassa, managing director of K2 Agency, likes to say that K2 brings together three important components of marketing expertise. “We build brands, creating and implementing ideas that work in every medium; we create digital products, developing complex platforms and providing innovative services; and we transform business by serving as a consulting firm.”
Fitzroy, an award-winning boutique agency that develops and nurtures distinctive market-leading brands as well as handles startups, provides a combination of proven and new marketing strategies resulting in a customer-specific blend of online and offline communication, product innovation and design. The agency was introduced to ICOM by Marc Woesthuis, managing director-owner of TRIMM, ICOM’s other agency member in The Netherlands, an internet agency focused on customer experiences and technology-driven marketing. Fitzroy and TRIMM both work on the Dutch Grolsch beer account, Fitzroy on the creative side and TRIMM on technical/digital aspects.
Fitzroy serves a variety of local clients and widely recognized global brands, including Mars’ M&M’s, Danone, PepsiCo brands - Pepsi, Doritos, Quaker, Bugles and Lay’s – and PlayStation.
“This combination of TRIMM and Fitzroy gives us a solid Dutch offer,” Europe Regional Director Christophe Levyfve said, “very important to ICOM in a market like Holland where many brands’ global or European headquarters are located.” Levyfve is also CEO-owner of NETCO Group in France and Belgium.
Both K2 and Fitzroy highly value their independence and share the same entrepreneurial spirit as ICOM’s other members, but want to be able to provide their clients with expert support in other countries.
“We are seeing a growing number of international projects, and that demands a deeper knowledge of specific international markets,” said Jur Baart, Fitzroy partner-co-founder. “We want to have access to the best expertise in many markets in order to serve our clients no matter where they want to go.”
Added Marnix Tiggeloven, also Fitzroy partner-co-founder, “Equally important is our commitment to the independent character of Fitzroy. We believe that the ICOM network capitalizes on this attribute and uses it as a strength.”
The two Fitzroy execs said they are looking forward to quickly gain knowledge and insights from all over the world so that they can facilitate the rollout of campaigns in various markets. “We’re also looking forward to the opportunity to have many, new, valuable and fun colleagues,” said Tiggeloven.
Wisniewska echoes their comments, “While we aim to be the leading digital precision-marketing agency in the market, we want K2 to be a nice place to work. Remaining as an independent company, although it takes a lot of effort, allows us to be able to achieve both of those goals.”
In welcoming the two new members, Levyfve said, “We are fortunate to have both of these organizations as part of our network.”