However, the trio was primarily interested in their own agency. The cooperation not only with the colleagues from Modco Media Apparently it was difficult. In the end, it is rumored, they would not have spoken to each other anymore. The US advertisers were also only slightly impressed by the usual procedures at Serviceplan, but stubbornly pursued their own ideas.
Without much success. At least when it comes to gaining additional clients who are not already being looked after by one of the Serviceplan units in other countries. At the end of 2018, Germany pulled the plug and parted with the managing directors and Suzanne Reeves (Group Account Director). Since May 2019, they are no longer officially on the payroll.
And today? Today Markus Noder speaks of a “very agile team” at the creative agency in the “House of Communication”, which also includes the Modco / Mediaplus and T3/Plan.Net are located. We’re talking about seven to ten employees. The free ECD takes care of the creation Rachel HowaldShe is supported by Sarah Jamshidi, who came from Munich, and Dominique Steinbrück (Planning), who has not only been with Serviceplan for years, but has also worked at Young & Rubicam in California. Plus other colleagues depending on the task at hand. It is “currently the right approach”. Now gradually take the next steps.
The Germans are sticking to the House of Communication, which has around 70 employees, and thus to the integrated offer. This differentiates the group from competitors in the USA. And according to Schütte, it is attracting increasing interest from potential customers. Business with brands that are globally active and some of which are already on the group’s customer list is also developing positively. Schütte: “Our advantage is: We have a German-European background and can combine this profitably for our customers with our know-how about the US market.” So NY has for American BMW made a film with the racing driver and founder of “Girls With Drive”, Aurora Straus, for International Women’s Day.
Or Hilti. New York will soon be implementing global campaigns for Hilti Power Tools. Maybe even in the lead. Since the US market is an eminently important market for tool manufacturers, says Noder, Serviceplan would hardly have been awarded the contract without the NY branch. Comparable to the situation of another group from Germany that is now China and North America and supported the service plan with the roll-out. Without offices in the Middle Kingdom and in the USA you would not have had a chance.
“It all feels right,” says Noder, the set-up fits. There is no lack of potential. But, more than ever, everyone involved is aware that it will not be easy to be economically successful here. Especially since the American market, says Schütte, is in a state of intense turbulence. The Business model The networks are functioning worse and worse, the number of in-house agencies is exploding and the uncertainty among advertisers is omnipresent, not least because of issues such as the trade dispute with China.
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