Hakuhodo joins forces with Serviceplan and Unlimited

Germany-based Serviceplan Group, Unlimited Group of the UK and Hakuhodo Group of Japan are joining in a strategic alliance of "longtime friends", creating what they call a global offering rooted in local insight.

The three independent agency groups said they are building joint teams to provide data-driven, customer-centric, integrated work to transform clients’ business around the world, with a presence in all major markets. The alliance will also allow the trio to pitch for global business as a single unit, and they are already preparing for a pan-European pitch set to take place this quarter. 

This new alliance is based on an existing partnership between Serviceplan Group and Unlimited Group, which first combined forces in 2014.

Serviceplan has more than 4000 employees and offices across Europe, as well as outposts in Delhi, Beijing, Shanghai and Seoul. Unlimited has 850 people in London, Bristol, Winchester and New York. Hakuhodo has more than 10,000 employees across 20 countries.  

"We are really excited about collaborating with one of the key players in Southeast Asia," Florian Haller, CEO of the Serviceplan Group, said in a release. "The affinity with our philosophy at Serviceplan was clear from our initial personal contact." 

Added Tim Bonnet, president of the Unlimited Group, "We have had a relationship with Hakuhodo and partnership agreement with Serviceplan for a number of years, and as this grew in success, we are delighted to formalise this into a global alliance. We are really excited about the expanded offering and capabilities this will bring to our existing clients as well as the agile, innovative and data-led offering we can offer new clients on a global scale."

The "strategic alliance with our longtime friends" is based on a firm belief and respect for the “sei-katsu-sha,” or living consumer, said Masayuki Mizushima, Hakuhodo president and CEO.