Sunday, September 08, 2013

11427: Guess Who’s Coming to Dearborn?

Target Market News reported Uniworld Group is moving its Dearborn, Michigan unit into the same building as Team Detroit. Both agencies have ties to WPP, so the cohabitation idea must be a financially driven scheme. Plus, both agencies service Ford and Lincoln, so the spin features references about shared resources and cultures to better deliver innovative solutions to the clients. Pathological liar and Team Detroit COO Mark LaNeve gushed, “We are delighted to have our UniWorld partners co-locate with Team Detroit. This collaborative environment is a win-win not only for our client, but for both agencies, allowing us to strategically coalesce to share cultural insight and perspective, all to enhance the Ford and Lincoln brands.” Keep in mind that the last time LaNeve made an official announcement regarding a minority agency, it turned out to be total bullshit. Maybe he’ll record the relocation as a diversity boost for his shop. And exactly what kind of “cultural insight” could Team Detroit share with Uniworld? Team Detroit’s recent downsizing probably means there is plenty of empty office space to fill too. Looks like Mayhem has followed LaNeve to the Motor City.

UniWorld Group Detroit moving to Team Detroit offices to better coordinate Ford account

UniWorld Group, Inc. the longest-standing full-service multicultural advertising and communications agency in the U.S., announced today that it will move its Dearborn office into the Dearborn-based Team Detroit offices. The move, scheduled for early September, positions UniWorld Group for a more seamless integration of multicultural thought and innovation to better serve Ford, an account the agency has serviced for more than 25 years. The relocation comes a little over a year after the appointment of the agency’s new Chairman and CEO, Monique L. Nelson.

“We are extremely excited about the upcoming move into the Team Detroit offices,” said Monique L. Nelson, CEO, UniWorld Group. “With both companies heavily focused on the Ford and Lincoln brands, this co-location will allow us to work more closely with our agency partners on a day-to-day basis while also delivering a seamless solution to servicing our client’s needs.”

UniWorld Group, Ford’s only African American advertising agency of record, has shared a strategic alliance with WPP, the largest communications services group, since 2000. This co-location will include UniWorld maintaining its separate brand identity while simultaneously adopting and sharing various agency best practices.

Team Detroit leads the Ford account at WPP. It was formed by a combination of five Detroit-based agencies in 2006; JWT, Young & Rubicam, Wunderman, Ogilvy & Mather and Mindshare. It currently employs around 1400 people, mostly in Dearborn, with others in 23 regional offices.

“We are delighted to have our UniWorld partners co-locate with Team Detroit,” said Mark LaNeve, COO, Global Team Ford. “This collaborative environment is a win-win not only for our client, but for both agencies, allowing us to strategically coalesce to share cultural insight and perspective, all to enhance the Ford and Lincoln brands.”

“Make no mistake about it—our identity as an agency will remain the same with this co-location,” said Nelson. “UniWorld Group is committed to providing the best service to all of our clients. We are looking forward to not only growing our brand culture, but also embracing the Team Detroit culture to continue to better serve the Ford account as we move forward as agency partners.”

Today, UWG main headquarters are in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite offices in Atlanta, Georgia, and Dearborn, Michigan.

Founded in 1969 by Byron Lewis, UniWorld Group, Inc., is the longest-standing full-service multicultural marketing agency in the United States. The agency continues to be a trendsetter, poised to connect forward-thinking brands to the $2 trillion spending power of multicultural consumers while pushing the envelope with innovative ideas and fresh solutions for the general market as well. WPP, the world’s largest communications services company, is also a minority shareowner in UniWorld Group. For more information on UniWorld Group, Inc., visit www.uniworldgroup.com.

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