Ketchum and Zocalo Group Launch Agile Amplification

NEW YORK, Feb. 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, leading communication firms Ketchum and Zocalo Group, a unit of Ketchum, announced Agile Amplification, a new global offering that enables brands to amplify, target and measure the reach of owned and earned content through paid online channels.

Agile Amplification works across the full media spectrum and allows the Ketchum and Zocalo teams to seamlessly plan, buy, manage, optimize and track integrated campaigns across leading social media platforms globally, as well as search, content marketing, display, video and mobile platforms, and in-game and blogger networks. The offering also can target the content in real time in a variety of ways, including demographic, behavioral, purchase-based and more.

"Earned coverage and conversations always have been the most valuable form of marketing.  But the paid resources and tools to amplify and target these messages have been spread across a confusing array of platforms and vendors, making it difficult to coordinate and maximize efforts," said Paul M. Rand, Ketchum's chief digital officer and president and CEO of Zocalo Group. "We developed Agile Amplification to directly address that issue and give marketers the tools they need to maximize their campaigns from an online and social standpoint."

Agile Amplification is designed to work seamlessly within Ketchum and Zocalo Group's Agile Social strategy. Agile Social is an end-to-end approach spanning Agile Content creation, audience identification, listening and monitoring, and "voice" development and evolution, as well as non-paid and now paid online distribution channels globally. This strong, direct link between frontline community managers and online media decisions gives managers the ability to move faster. Research shows that amplifying content as quickly as possible, ideally within 24 hours, pays off exponentially in virality.

The Agile Social team is comprised of more than 80 digital and social strategists, content creators, media planners, buyers, and search and measurement experts globally, and is formalizing Amplification Hubs in key markets around the world to ensure that Ketchum and Zocalo Group have the infrastructure in place to best service clients in a global landscape.

"For marketers who are struggling with how to get both their owned and earned content to stand out in the noisy digital space, our Agile Social strategy provides a soup to nuts, cutting-edge resource they can turn to in order to break through the clutter," said Rob Flaherty, senior partner, president and CEO of Ketchum. "While Ketchum has been involved in paid media efforts on an increasingly global level, with Agile Amplification we now have comprehensively connected the earned realm and virtually all aspects of the paid online and social world in a real, tangible way."

He continued, "This new offering, combined with the mainline media buying capabilities through our integrated marketing agency, Capstrat, gives us a fully rounded approach to the PESO spectrum."

The Agile Amplification team has partnered with a number of key partners including Kenshoo, a digital marketing technology company that engineers premium solutions for search marketing, social media and online advertising. Kenshoo has strategic relationships and native API solutions for ads across Google, Bing, Yahoo, Baidu, Twitter, Facebook, Facebook Exchange, and CityGrid.

"Social advertising has become an integral component in the marketing mix," said Ted Krantz, senior vice president at Kenshoo. "The Ketchum and Zocalo Group teams truly understand that digital marketing is an art and a science. Working together, we can employ proven technology and smart strategy to deliver maximum results."

About Ketchum
Ketchum is a leading global communications firm with operations in more than 70 countries across six continents. The winner of 11 Cannes Lions and an unprecedented three consecutive PRWeek Campaign of the Year Awards, Ketchum partners with clients to deliver strategic programming, game-changing creative and measurable results that build brands and reputations. For more information on Ketchum, a part of Diversified Agency Services, a division of Omnicom Group Inc., visit www.ketchum.com.

About Zocalo Group 
Zocalo Group is a full-service digital, social media and word-of-mouth marketing agency, helping leading consumer and business-to-business brands become the most talked-about and recommended brands in their category. Based in Chicago, Zocalo Group has received numerous industry awards for its brand programs and measurement initiatives. Zocalo Group is a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) and Ketchum. For more information, please visit www.zocalogroup.com.

About Diversified Agency Services
Diversified Agency Services (DAS), a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), manages Omnicom's holdings in a variety of marketing communications disciplines. DAS includes over 200 companies, which operate through a combination of networks and regional organizations, serving international and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.

SOURCE Ketchum