• by Steve McClellan , February 2, 2017

Marketing services company Ad2pro has launched a new ad agency called Madras Brand Solutions. It will be led by CEO Fred Schuster, who joined the parent company last June as CEO of its Global Brand Solutions division.

Schuster is an industry veteran who previously ran WPP’s ad and marketing services shop RedWorks and Interpublic’s commercial production and distribution unit Craft.

Also joining Madras are two Ogilvy & Mather senior creative executives Bill Davaris and Andrew Ladden who have worked together at the WPP agency network for 17 years.

In 2015 Ad2pro acquired UK digital creative agency Somewhat, which will now become part of Madras.

Ad2pro was founded in 2006 to deliver high-­volume digital and print design, marketing communication and technology services from its India studios. The launch of Madras represents the parent company’s continued expansion into the ad agency space.

“We believe great brands are leaving too much value on the table,” said Schuster. Whether it's due to cost, timing or inefficiency, there are brilliant tactics and ideas that deserve to be seen and experienced, yet most of them are left behind.”

Davaris and Ladden will lead the Madras Global strategy and creative teams in New York and London, as well as a content creation and delivery unit out of Chennai and Bangalore, India. At launch the agency’s staff totals 1,100. 

The new agency counts as clients Macys, Lenovo, BBC, Tesco, Clarks, French Connection, Manolo Blahnik and American Outdoorsman. Services provided include strategy and planning, traditional brand communications, websites, social and mobile campaigns, experiential and engagement, content fulfillment and execution.