Craft Worldwide Launches Globally Adaptation + Production Unit Works With Leading Brands

NEW YORK, Dec. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Craft Worldwide, a unique adaptation and production business unit of McCann Worldgroup, has launched globally with an innovative, client-centric operating model and an emphasis on the craft of execution.

"Success in global adaptation and production requires the dedication of true craftspeople who care deeply about their clients' brands and who work tirelessly to drive maximum savings for our clients," said Fred Schuster, CEO of Craft Worldwide. "We have assembled a team of the industry's best, each with a rich and robust background in advertising, adaptation, design and production."

Craft Worldwide currently offers clients capabilities in a number of key areas:

• A marketing operations consulting group that develops go-to-market models that yield maximum efficiency 
• An adaptation design capability that extends the reach of existing tactics into new audience and communication segments, while maintaining brand consistency 
• A world-class translation offering providing translation, transcreation and cultural consulting services
• A network of integrated production hubs in 23 markets, capable of producing every type of print, digital and video media available 
• Access to a distribution network that can deliver a final asset to literally anywhere in the world
• A technology platform that streamlines these capabilities and links them together through a cloud-based, highly secure interface

To deliver these capabilities, Craft currently employs more than 570 full-time employees and is already working for many of the world's leading brand marketers, such as Coca-Cola, L'Oreal, Aldi, General Mills, and Microsoft XBox, as well as supporting the Commonwealth Agency.

"Craft manages a huge volume of work in their implementation of our marketing across 20 countries in Europe," said Michael Flatt, Head of Advertising, EMEA, for XBox. "Their model has been held up as Global Best Practice and has now been adopted globally. Craft, quite simply, offer us the quickest and most efficient way of delivering marketing that we can think of."

With its global launch, Craft Worldwide becomes McCann Worldgroup's eighth major marketing solutions offering. "Craft is the perfect example of how we can leverage our talent, our global footprint and our ability to work quickly and cost-efficiently to drive our clients' businesses forward," said Harris Diamond, Chairman & CEO, McCann Worldgroup.

Craft's main offices are located in New York, London, Singapore, Toronto, Manchester, Paris, Milan, Oslo, Manila, Bucharest, Mumbai, Santiago, Budapest, Johannesburg, Sao Paulo, Tokyo, Shanghai, Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, Detroit, Bangkok, Melbourne, and New Delhi, with plans to expand further in 2013. http://craftww.com

All Craft Worldwide offices are linked through an innovative technology platform, called the Craft Cloud.

"One key differentiator for Craft is our ability to design bespoke operating models for our clients. These unique plans leverage our vast network of low-cost hubs and have proven success both in maintaining brand consistency and in driving maximum efficiency," explained Quinn O'Brien, COO Craft Worldwide.

About McCann Worldgroup
McCann Worldgroup delivers marketing solutions that transform brands and grow businesses. The company is comprised of a collaborative roster of best-in-class agencies that emphasize creativity, innovation, and performance, including McCann Erickson (the world's largest advertising agency network); MRM (digital marketing/relationship management); Momentum (event marketing/promotion); McCann Health (professional/dtc communications); CRAFT (global adaptation and production); UM (media management); Weber Shandwick (public relations); and FutureBrand (consulting/design).

About Interpublic
The Interpublic Group of Companies, McCann Worldgroup's parent, is one of the world's leading organizations of advertising agencies and marketing services companies.  Major global brands include Draftfcb, FutureBrand, GolinHarris International, Huge, Initiative, Jack Morton Worldwide, Lowe and Partners, MAGNAGLOBAL, McCann, McCann Health, Momentum, MRM Worldwide, Octagon, R/GA, UM and Weber Shandwick.  Leading U.S. brands include Campbell Ewald; Campbell Mithun; Carmichael Lynch; Deutsch, a Lowe and Partners Company; Gotham Inc.; Hill Holliday; ID Media; Mullen and The Martin Agency.  For more information, please visit www.interpublic.com 

SOURCE McCann Worldgroup