Independent Ad and Marketing Network ICOM+IN Forms New Sub-Saharan Africa Region

ROLLINSVILLE, Colo., Nov. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ICOM+IN (www.icomagencies.com), the leading international network of independent agencies, has formed a sub-Saharan Africa region and is aggressively stepping up its activity.

• Peter Jackson, CEO of the Volcano agency in Bryanston, South Africa, has been appointed Regional Director;
• Spearhead Africa, Dar es Salaam, has been named the first ICOM+IN agency representative in Tanzania, becoming the eighth agency member in the region.  

"Africa is an increasingly important part of the world," said ICOM+IN Managing Director Gary Burandt. "Peter has a sound objective to unify and assist the current sub-Saharan members of the network as well as to recruit members in countries not yet represented. We are optimistic about future growth prospects."

As a first step, Mr. Jackson is setting up three regional hubs strategically positioned in the Western, Eastern and Southern areas of the continent. "Tapping into the existing ICOM+IN Africa network and being afforded the opportunity to drive further growth across the continent is a great prospect for all of us," Mr. Jackson said. "We intend to provide our international clients with the largest African communications footprint available."

Until now, much of the activity has been undertaken by the multinational ad agency groups. "This is about to change," Mr. Jackson said. "The opportunity is ripe because an increasing number of international and local companies are realizing the growing importance of the Africa market."

Spearhead, the first new member appointed since the combination of the ICOM and IN networks was announced in July, joins current ICOM+IN agencies in Angola, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia as the foundation of the Africa region.  Discussions are underway with a number of other major players, and other new members are expected to be appointed soon.

Spearhead is an integrated agency serving both local and international accounts, including APC, Coca-Cola Tanzania, Deloitte, Engen and Samsung. Director Monalisa Bangera said she is looking forward to the opportunity to tap into the experience of ICOM+IN's members on different brands and marketing solutions and to be able to service clients of other network members locally as well as to provide her agency's clients the access to proven advertising and marketing expertise across the world.

ICOM+IN is the world's largest independent network of advertising and marketing communications agencies and offers the broadest geographic coverage.  Annual billings total US$3.5 billion with gross income exceeding US$500 million.

Contacts:  Nancy Giges, [email protected], 1-914-683-5108
Gary Burandt, [email protected], 1-720-261-4829

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SOURCE ICOM+IN