Ogilvy South Africa launches Social@Ogilvy

Ogilvy South Africa announced today the launch of Social@Ogilvy, a worldwide practice connecting all of the agency’s social media experts to deliver solutions across all areas of business. Ogilvy Public Relations is the home of Social@Ogilvy but it is now expanding across all marketing disciplines into a dynamic, global network of social media experts from the complete Ogilvy family.  Social@Ogilvy connects marketing, communications, CRM, sales enablement, shopper marketing experts and more to deliver seven big social solutions. In addition to Social Media Marketing and Communications, these solutions now include Social Shopping, SocialCRM, Social Care, Social Business Solutions, Listening and Analytics, and measurement model, Conversation Impact™. Social@Ogilvy enables the firm to effectively serve the complex needs of clients, as social solutions become true business solutions. “Now, no matter which door clients walk through at Ogilvy, they will connect with the Social@Ogilvy team to deliver agile and measurable solutions. That’s access to social experts deep in every marketing and communications discipline,” says John Bell, Global Managing Director of Social@Ogilvy. “We have worked hard over the last seven years to define and apply ‘best practice’ use of social media to business. The real power of social media for business in 2012 and beyond lies in fully integrated solutions, not stand-alone social programs.”   With over 550 dedicated social media experts around the world – and another 4,000 digital experts – the Social@Ogilvy team is the largest network of social media strategists delivering global and local solutions. Headquartered in Johannesburg, the team is led by Joanna Oosthuizen, Managing Director of Ogilvy PR, and Amanda Sevasti Whitehouse, Social Media Account Director. In Cape Town the team is lead by Gavin Levinsohn, Managing Director of Ogilvy Cape Town. The official launch of Social@Ogilvy took place at the Ogilvy Johannesburg offices on Tuesday 14 February 2012. The launch involves a panel discussion by online thought leaders including, Luke McKend, Chris Roper and Bob Skinstad. Joanna Oosthuizen, MD of Ogilvy PR says, “It is a very exciting time for South Africa as we are seeing more and more brands wanting to explore the social media world. We look forward to launching our Social @Ogilvy offerings as this will further entrench Ogilvy as a multi skilled communication solution.” Named 2011 Global Digital/Social Consultancy of the Year by The Holmes Report, Ogilvy has led award-winning social media initiatives for clients around the globe, generated groundbreaking industry thought leadership and established a worldwide training discipline. Global clients such as KFC, Miller and Häagen-Dazs are scaling their use of social media and effectively “socialising their enterprises.” Social@Ogilvy proves that the agency, too, can “socialise” its own business and serve as a valuable strategic partner for brands and organisations growing their effective use of social media. “There are incredible opportunities today for brands to stimulate consumer-to-consumer interactions and to engage directly with consumers. Today’s social consumers can help build brands, they are open to closer brand relationships, they drive purchase behavior and they influence brand reputation in new ways. As such, social doesn’t belong in a corner of our agency. Just as we have embraced digital across the Ogilvy Group, we are rapidly expanding our social expertise to create effective solutions in advertising, CRM, PR or any other discipline for our clients,” says Patou Nuytemans, EAME Chief Digital Officer. More information about the new Social@Ogilvy practice can be viewed at the following channels: Blog social.ogilvy.com Twitter www.twitter.com/socialogilvy #SocialOgilvy Facebook www.facebook.com/socialogilvy SlideShare www.slideshare.com/socialogilvy