The new group consists of interactive shop Lemon, online marketing agency AdXplorer Integrated, video producer Media3Way and DM shop Wise Horse Media. In addition, the group includes the Communication Central Suite (CCS), a specialist creative software provider.
Headed by Lemon's Neil Runcieman, Communication Central counts Bank of China, Volkswagen and Pudong Bank among its clients. Runcieman believes that new group's formation was a logical step, given the need to "compete more effectively".
"We do long-term projects, and we decided we needed an identity and structure to compete in that domain," said Runcieman. "It gives clients the ability to mix and match."
He said clients would determine which Communication Central agency they wish to work with, and added that the group's modular approach wouold allow for easy expansion.
"Not all companies will work with all clients. It gives us a lot more strength and a lot more breadth of service," he said. "And all of the services are modular: if you have one application you can add new modules simply."
Another key motivation behind the new network, according to Runcieman, was to create a distinct software element, in the form of CCS.
"It became logical to not only form a group, but also to separate out the software applications and products that could be sold by third parties," he noted. Included in CCS' proprietary software are content management, CRM and multimedia presentation software.
The interactive marketing sector has seen a sustained shake-out over recent years, with shrinking budgets driving a consolidation among leading players. Both Lemon and AdXplorer, in particular, are believed to have suffered from the triple blow of the dotcom crash, recession and Sars. Nonetheless, AdXplorer recently bagged projects for Volkswagen and Yum Brand in China.
"We're still concentrating on technology solutions and online," added Runcieman. "It makes sense to hive off the technology side and bring in number of complementary services that customers need, but were previously unable to supply."
Runcieman to head up new grouping of four
Four Greater China technology-based marketing agencies have come together to form Communication Central, in the hope that the new entity can compete more effectively with its larger peers.