• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, June 7, 2012

Google and digital agency GroupM Next launched a series of events Thursday to focus on specific markets and verticals. Exclusive to the agency's clients, the Spark day sessions will explore ideas on technology, branding and making the Web and mobile work for large companies. The hope is to start more conversations leading to innovations.

The first event -- Spark: CPG -- took place in New York with attendees from nine consumer product goods companies. Aside from discussions led by Google and GroupM Next execs, contributors from Kantar, Buzzfeed and Amazon joined in to share insights, research and information on opportunities. The hope is that Spark will provide brands with insights and education they wouldn’t have elsewhere. 

Torrence Boone, managing director of agency business development at Google, said the series fits in line with Google's ongoing efforts to partner with agencies, especially in education. Google already offers an education service called Think, but the series with GroupM will offer content more closely tied to the agency's services and support. "We have the technology and digital expertise, whereas GroupM focuses on broad-based marketing and media strategy," he said.

The CPG event focused on innovating across multiple screens, powering video and building brands, developing virtual gifts for social and capturing brand advocates who share content; mobilizing commerce that connects shoppers to places and products, and keeping apace with digital changes. 

Today, GroupM supports 13 CPG clients across its portfolio. "I don't think digital has reached its full potential in the CPG market," said Chris Copeland, GroupM Next CEO. Sessions supporting business to business, retail, local, and brands focusing on multiple locations could come next, Copeland said.