Planetactive, the Düsseldorf-based full-service agency for digital marketing, is to become OgilvyOne Düsseldorf. Business from Planetactive GmbH will be transferred to the newly-founded OgilvyOne Düsseldorf GmbH. Stefan Längin is to become Managing Director of OgilvyOne Düsseldorf, having already spent the last few years running Planetactive and turning the agency into a successful full service provider. In future he will report directly to Thomas Strerath, CEO of Ogilvy Group Germany.
The change is part of a new set-up for the Ogilvy Group in Germany, reflecting the growing importance of digital media and the trend towards 360 degree marketing. “Nowadays, digital media plays a central role in marketing,” explains Ogilvy boss Thomas Strerath. “We’re combining our expertise in digital marketing under the OgilvyOne brand. There’ll be separate OgilvyOne agencies based in Frankfurt and Düsseldorf which will work closely together with the local Ogilvy agencies.“
In the past, Planetactive has looked after well-known customers in integrated teams together with sister agencies from the German Ogilvy Group, and has taken over responsibility for digital marketing.
“We’re now coming to the end of a process which started back in 2006 when Ogilvy took over Planetactive,” explains Stefan Längin. “Collaboration between Planetactive and other Ogilvy agencies has become increasingly close over the last three years. However, Planetactive’s separate branding sometimes led to confusion for customers or during pitches. We’ve therefore actively campaigned for new branding, even though it’ll no doubt be a little sad to say farewell to the “Planetactive” brand after 12 years.”
The change will have virtually no impact on Planetactive’s customers. They will still be looked after by the same contacts and teams as before.
Neo@Ogilvy, the current media arm of Planetactive/OgilvyOne and the Ogilvy Group will also remain relatively untouched. Stefan Längin will continue to oversee the activities of Neo@Ogilvy in Germany.