• by Larissa Faw , July 9, 2018

Omnicom’s digital strategy consultancy TLGG is expanding globally with the launch of its first U.S. office. Located in New York City, the new TLGG office will be led by managing director Katrin Zimmerman, reporting to founder/CEO Christoph Bornschein, who is based out of TLGG’s Berlin headquarters.

The U.S. office was created to better serve European clients that TLGG already works with, of which many are active in the U.S. The move is also designed to help U.S. clients better understand global digital applications by exposing them to TLGG’s international expertise in digital strategy, business model innovation and organizational development. 

Omnicom first acquired what was then the social media agency in 2015. It quickly evolved to serve as a broader digital consultancy. Today TLGG advises governmental entities and brands like Bayer, BMW, Unilever, Porsche, SAP, Mercedes-Benz and Smuckers on how best to leverage digital technologies and navigate today’s data and privacy concerns.

“With companies’ increasing need for innovative digital change seen across the globe, expanding to the U.S. was a natural evolution for TLGG, and no one is better suited to lead this presence than Katrin," says Bornschein. 

Another Omnicom agency, sparks & honey, is also evolving away from its trend-spotting roots to become more strategic. Over the last five years, the shop -- part of Omnicom’s DAS division -- has expanded its capabilities beyond its cultural intelligence to build out its range of data and intelligence products. Now, the agency is fully embracing this transformation by appointing Camilo La Cruz to chief strategy officer, who is tasked with plotting out the agency's long-term vision for consulting services, establish models to connect market demand with product development, and identify resources and skills needed to achieve those goals.

La Cruz has been with sparks & honey for over four years, most recently serving as executive vice president, global futures, where he helped implement strategy into specific action plans. 

And Austin-based GSD&M, also part of Omnicom, is forming its own Strategy Studio to merge together its general market and decision science specialists to provide clients with a more "nimble, collaborative model." 

The team will work across all clients, including Pizza Hut and Jack Link's, offering services that include traditional brand planning, communications, social, audience and experience strategy, decision sciences and analytics, and advertising technology. "It was built to address increased expectations from clients for strategic leadership, so the need was evident from clients but the solution was entirely our own," says an agency spokesperson. 

The team includes VP/group strategy director Jim Firestone, who is now responsible for building out capabilities and ways of working while managing the Studio community. Janice Suter serves as vice president/social media. Shannon Jensen, formerly media director, who will now serve as director of advertising technology.

David Zwickerhill is elevated to director of analytics to be responsible for all analytics-based decision sciences specialists within GSD&M’s Strategy Studio, working closely with Jensen. 

In addition, Mikael Greenlief, who previously served with Giant Spoon and Carat USA, is joining the agency as  director of communications strategy to oversee all communications planning and strategy for GSD&M’s clients.