Essence Global

Essence
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryInformation Technology, Advertising, Marketing
Founded2005; 20 years ago (2005)
FounderAndrew Shebbeare

Andy Bonsall

Matt Isaacs
DefunctFebruary 2023 (2023-02)
FateMerged with Mediacom to form EssenceMediacom
SuccessorEssenceMediacom
Number of locations
11
Key people
  • Matt Isaacs (CEO until 2014)
  • Christian Juhl (CEO 2014 - 2019)
  • Kyoko Matsushita CEO (2019 - 2023)
Revenue$4 billion (total billings)[1]
Number of employees
2000[1]
ParentGroupM[2]
Websitewww.essenceglobal.com

Essence was a global data and measurement-driven full service agency that merged with Mediacom in January 2023 to form Essence Mediacom,.[3] Prior to the merger, Essence had 20 offices in 12 countries and a staff of approximately 2,000. Essence managed over $4B in annualized media spend globally, with clients such as Google, The Financial Times,[4] Target,[1] NBCUniversal,[1] BP, FrieslandCampina,[5] L’Oreal and Tesco Mobile. In 2015 Essence became majority owned by WPP, and a part of GroupM, the WPP media investment management operation.[6] It had offices in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, USA, Canada, Germany, and the UK.

Essence specialized in strategy, digital marketing, digital creative, media planning and buying, mobile advertising and analytics. It also included a dedicated technology business, 2Sixty Technologies, which developed platforms that underpinned the agency's services to clients as well as building bespoke technologies for clients including Google.[7] 2Sixty was subsequently merged with other GroupM technologies to form Choreograph.[8]

Matt Isaacs was CEO until May 2014 when he became Executive Chair and was succeeded as CEO by Christian Juhl and his ego.[9] Andrew Shebbeare was appointed Chair in Jan 2019. Kyoko Matsushita took over from Christian Juhl as CEO from October 2019, when Juhl moved to be CEO of GroupM.[10]

Corporate history

Essence was founded by Matt Isaacs, Andrew Shebbeare and Andy Bonsall who previously worked together at Accucard, a VC/PE backed credit-card company. Accucard was acquired by Lloyds Banking Group where they developed an in-house digital marketing arm called Create Services.[11]

In 2005 they created their own digital agency in London, Essence, with their first client being Carphone Warehouse boss, Sir Charles Dunstone.[12]

In 2006 Essence was hired by Google for a UK media and creative assignment. Today Essence is the digital media agency of record for Google in EMEA, NA and APAC.[13]

Essence has worked for domestic and international brands including L’Oreal, TalkTalk,[14] eBay,[15] Betfair,[16] Expedia,[17] Barclays,[18] YouTube,[19] Method,[20] DoubleDown Interactive,[21] HP, Viber,[22] Visa[23] and Intuit.[24]

Timeline

  • 2005: Essence founded in London by Andrew Shebbeare, Andy Bonsall and Matt Isaacs
  • 2010: Essence opens NYC office
  • 2011: Essence acquires Punktilio in London[25]
  • 2012: Essence acquires Black Bag Advertising in San Francisco[26]
  • 2012: Essence acquires Point Reach in Seattle[27]
  • 2013: Essence opens Singapore office[28]
  • 2014: Essence opens Tokyo office,[29] Matt Isaacs becomes Executive Chair, succeeded by Christian Juhl as CEO[9]
  • 2015: Essence is bought by WPP Group[30]
  • 2016: Essence opens offices in Sydney, Chicago, Shanghai and Delhi[31]
  • 2017: Essence opens offices Los Angeles,[32] Düsseldorf[33] and Seoul[34]
  • 2018: Essence opens offices in Bengaluru, Jakarta, Melbourne, Mumbai
  • 2019: Essence named as Mediapost's agency of the year[35]
  • 2019: Kyoko Matsushita named as new CEO, Christian Juhl moves to be new GroupM CEO[10]
  • 2023: Essence merges with Mediacom to form Essence Mediacom[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "GroupM's Essence Doubles Billings by Adding Target, NBCUniversal". Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  2. ^ Essence Company Profile, wpp.com
  3. ^ a b "GroupM merges Essence and MediaCom | News". Research Live. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Financial Times website celebrates 20-year anniversary with free 24-hour trial". The Drum. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  5. ^ "Yazoo owner FrieslandCampina appoints Essence to handle digital media across EMEA and South East Asia". The Drum. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  6. ^ "Why WPP's GroupM Is Buying Media Agency Essence Digital". Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  7. ^ "The Essence of media: people, data and automation together | Media". Campaign Asia. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  8. ^ "WPP Launches Global Data Company: Choreograph™". GroupM. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  9. ^ a b Rodgers, Zach (20 May 2014). "Christian Juhl Named Global CEO At Essence". AdExchanger. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  10. ^ a b "ESSENCE NAMES KYOKO MATSUSHITA AS ITS NEW GLOBAL CEO".
  11. ^ "Q&A: Matt Isaacs of £160m-turnover marketing agency Essence". LondonlovesBusiness. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  12. ^ "Growth Capital: Maths men are making it ad up nicely, thanks to all". Evening Standard. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  13. ^ "Google and Essence". R3 Global 40. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  14. ^ "TalkTalk moves online media buying into CHI". Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  15. ^ "EBay awards Essence online account". Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  16. ^ "Betfair launches Euro Team Selector Facebook app with Essence". The Drum. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  17. ^ "Expedia appoints Essence to digital creative and media accounts". Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  18. ^ "Barclays Corporate Banking unveils new ads with Essence and Ogilvy". The Drum. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  19. ^ "When Clients Let Media Agencies Take Risks, Good Things Happen [Updated]". Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  20. ^ "Method's 'Messy' Ad Campaign". www.mediapost.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  21. ^ "Free-to-Play Online Casino Brand Bets on Mobile". Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  22. ^ "Viber Expands Global Footprint Increasing Focus on Marketing to the U.S." www.businesswire.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  23. ^ "Visa Selects Starcom For $200 Million Global Media Duties". www.mediapost.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  24. ^ "Essence Wins AOR Assignment From Intuit". www.mediapost.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  25. ^ O'Hear, Steve. "Social media agency Punktilio acquired by Essence – another exit for Michael Birch | TechCrunch". Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  26. ^ "Essence Finds Some in Bay Area, U.K. Agency Acquires San Francisco's Black Bag". www.mediapost.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  27. ^ "Essence extends US footprint with mobile agency Point Reach buyout". The Drum. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  28. ^ "The Asia impact of GroupM's Essence acquisition". Campaign Asia. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  29. ^ "Digital Catalyst: Q&A with Kyoko Matsushita, CEO of Essence APAC | LadyBoss". LadyBoss | Women Entrepreneurs | Women Leaders in Asia. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  30. ^ "The chief digital officer of WPP's GroupM tells us why his company just acquired Google's digital media agency Essence". Business Insider. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  31. ^ "Essence Unveils New India Office". www.groupm.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  32. ^ "WPP - Essence - Los Angeles Office Profile". www.wpp.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  33. ^ "Essence stärkt weltweite Präsenz mit der Gründung eines Standorts in Düsseldorf". www.groupm-germany.de (in German). Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  34. ^ "Essence takes over Maxus in Korea". Campaign Asia. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  35. ^ "OMMA Agency Of The Year: Essence". www.mediapost.com. Retrieved 18 March 2024.