• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, October 13, 2020

Like many agencies these days, independent full-service media and marketing shop Harmelin Media is doubling down on its ecommerce capabilities, given the demand for such client services, as consumer interest in online shopping has soared during the pandemic.

To help spearhead the effort, Harmelin has hired Alex Mandel as manager of ecommerce marketplace services.

Previously, he ran the ecommerce offering at kitchen supply company Fox Run, whose brands include Anchor Hocking and Oneida. The agency also has an existing team of data scientists, software engineers and other specialists contributing to the effort.

Here’s what Jen Harlacher, executive vice president, media services for Harmelin had to say about the new practice: “The events of 2020 have pushed many advertisers into the virtual space to keep their businesses viable and successful in this challenging environment. We are dedicated to helping our clients navigate and grow in an omnichannel ecommerce ecosystem.”

Like I said last week when Havas Media Group said it was upping its game in the ecommerce arena, such investments are rapidly becoming the cost of entry for any media agency that expects to remain competitive.