• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, March 27, 2014

Well -- this one is certainly going to be a creative challenge. How would you like to work on a brand that is the most hated airline in the world? Yes, Ryanair is seeking marketing partners to help the brand develop creative, digital, media and CRM programs. Of the search, Ryanair CMO Kenny Jacobs said: “It’s great that we haven’t had to advertise until now, it is great that we’re coming to it late, as you can do it in the right way and on your terms and not be like a lot of businesses that are stuck in advertising and afraid to drop their spend but they know they need to do digital at the same time.” What did he just say? No matter -- he's confident agencies will line up for the account adding, complete with on-brand pompous attitude, “Everyone is going to be interested. It is going to be one of the best transformations in the next few years and we’re really exciting clients to partner with, so I’m expecting all of the agencies in the UK and beyond are going to want to work with us.”

Martin Sorrell, in his quest to unseat Publicis Omnicom as the world's largest holding company, continues his buying spree with no end in sight. His latest acquisition comes through the holding company's JWT group, which just acquired a majority stake in S0cial Wavelength, a social media agency in India. India accounts for $500 million of WPP revenue and the agency employs 13,000 in the country. Social Wavelength is WPP's fifth acquisition in India in the last four years.

As if agencies didn't already have enough competition with technology companies and content startups nipping at their ankles, now they have to contend with IBM, which has just announced it will invest $100 million in a newly launched division called IBM Interactive Experience. The entity combines IBM's digital marketing agency with its other marketing-related groups such as data analytics and design. The goal is to offer these as powerhouse services to brands. The Interactive Experience group will hire 1,000 people to fuel the entity. So...if you're looking to bail on your agency gig, IBM might have a spot for you. Of the launch, IBM Interactive Experience Global Leader Paul Papas said the group will “challenge the existing digital agency model, and target the CMO.” Watch out, agencies. The tides are shifting.

Really? Who would work with an agency that put out a press release which read, "Hype Media Marketing is on the scene, and their team of passionate and creative marketing consultants is ready to help businesses everywhere develop and promote their brand by improving their marketing strategies. The Los Angeles-based advertising firm is taking a new approach to marketing and advertising services by offering business owners everywhere the chance to team up with a one-stop shop invested in the growth of each business they serve. They’re not interested in making a quick buck, and Hype Media Marketing plans to stick with each client for the long run. They are able to offer better prices than the competition without sacrificing for quality. Hype Media Marketing is invested in increasing client's revenues and helping them develop a sustainable competitive edge. With many years of experience, they know that businesses must make money in order for their own worth to grow." Really. Who?

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