Dentsu Aegis Network acquires equity stake in Nigeria’s Media Fuse

Determined to play big in Nigeria’s alluring market, the biggest in Africa with huge economic potentials, Dentsu Aegis Network, a global player with operations in 110 countries, has bought into Media Fuse, Nigeria’s promising full-service media independent agency network.

The relationship between the two marketing communication firms now gives birth to a new firm – Media Fuse Dentsu Aegis Network.

Dawn Rowlands, CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network in sub-Saharan Africa, told BusinessDay last weekend in Lagos that the company, made up of eight global network brands – Carat, Dentsu, Dentsu Media, iProspect, Isobar, mcgarrybowen, Posterscope and Vizeum – was making investment in Media Fuse based on the Network’s strong belief in Nigeria and the ability of Media Fuse team to bring Dentsu’s unique operating model to life in Nigeria.

“Our partnership with Media Fuse enables us to launch our unique and proprietary tools like CCS and Convergence Planning, which will help local and our global clients grow their value they derive from media significantly,” she said.

Emeka Okeke, the CEO of Media Fuse Dentsu Aegis Network in Nigeria, said at the unveiling of the partnership and annoucement of full service of the company last weekend, that “the merger marks the dawn of a new era in marketing communication in Nigeria with a young indigenous media agency getting the attention of a global network in foreign direct investment with full access to tools, capacity building, specialist agencies offerings in digital markting, digital performance, OOH specialist offerings in strategy and planning as well as convergence planning through the flagship power brands Carat, Vizeum, Isobar, I-Prospect and Posterscope.

“This development provides discerning clients the opportunity to leverage the Media Fuse Dentsu Aegis Network mantra of ‘innovating the way brands are built’ given the enthusiasm and professionalism embedded in the staff and management of the group in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa.”

In his comment, Andre Andrade, CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network, Iberia and sub-Saharan Africa, said “we are thrilled with the launch of Media Fuse Dentsu Aegis Network and the partnership with Emeka Okeke and his team of world-class professionals that will bring our global assets to Nigeria and bring to life for international and local clients alike our promise of innovating the way brands are built.”

Media Fuse was incorporated in 2013, and the Dentsu Aegis Network began to show interest in the company eight months after.

As a full service agency network, the group provides integrated communication strategy, planning and implementation, digital media creative and production, digital performance and optimisation, social/community media engagement as well as specialist out-of-home communication services to prospective clients.

Presently, the group has a number of local and multinational companies as clients including P&G, MasterCard, WAMCO, Total, British Airways, Old Mutual, among others.

Daniel Obi