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Grey Global Group

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Grey Group
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryAdvertising, marketing
Founded1917; 107 years ago (1917) (as Grey Studios)
FoundersLawrence Valenstein
Arthur C. Fatt
Headquarters
200 Fifth Avenue
New York City, New York
,
U.S.
Area served
Worldwide James R. Heekin III, Executive Chairman
ServicesBrand management, marketing strategy, creative development, direct marketing, public relations, public affairs, digital marketing, production
Revenue1.307 billion USD (2003)
Number of employees
2,400
ParentWPP plc
SubsidiariesGrey
G2
GHG
GCI Group
MediaCom Worldwide
Alliance
G WHIZ
WING
Grey EMEA
ArcTouch
Websitewww.grey.com

Grey Group is a global advertising and marketing agency with headquarters in New York City,[1] and 432 offices in 96 countries, operating in 154 cities.[2] It is organized into four geographical units: North America; Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.[3]

As a unit of communications conglomerate WPP Group, Grey Global Group operates branded independent business units in many communications disciplines, including advertising, direct marketing, public relations, public affairs, brand development, customer relationship management, sales promotion, and interactive marketing, through its subsidiaries: Grey, G2, GHG, GCI Group, MediaCom Worldwide, Alliance, G WHIZ, and WING.

Grey Group's international clients include Procter & Gamble, GlaxoSmithKline, Nokia, British American Tobacco, Diageo, Volkswagen, Novartis, Wyeth, Canon, DirecTV, and 3M.[4]

The company has won 10 Cannes Lions, an Addy, a Clio and an Emmy Award.[4] Grey Group's European network, Grey EMEA, won 26 Euro EFFIE awards, and is the five-time Euro EFFIE Agency Network of the Year, in the four consecutive years of 2005–2008[5] and again in 2012.[6]

History

Founded in 1917 (1917) by Lawrence Valenstein and Arthur C. Fatt, Grey Global Group began as a direct marketing company named Grey Studios, reflecting the color of the wall of its original quarters, changing to Grey Advertising in 1925.

In 1956 (1956), Grey acquired its first major client, Procter & Gamble. In 1961, billings reached $59 million[7] and in the same year, Herbert D. Strauss was named president and the firm expanded domestically and internationally.[8][7] In 1961, the firm opened an office in Los Angeles,[7] and in 1962 the firm opened an office in London and in 1963 in Japan.[7][9] In 1964, billings reached $100 million.[7]

In 1965, the firm went public, trading on the Nasdaq exchange, and the firm expanded into the use of psychographics (the analysis of consumer lifestyles).[7] In 1966, Grey became one of the top 10 agencies in the U.S.[7]

In 1967, Strauss was named CEO and chairman, and Edward H. Meyer was named president.[8][7] In 1969, Strauss was named chairman[8] In 1970, Meyer was named CEO.[10]

In the 1970s, Grey was responsible for several popular ad campaigns including Star Wars toys for Kenner, aspirin and toothpaste for SmithKline, and Stove Top Stuffing for Kraft General Foods.[7]

In 1973, Strauss died of a heart attack.[8]

Through the 1960s and 1970s, Grey continued to acquire major accounts, and grew into related communication fields. In 1970 (1970), Meyer became CEO and would remain in that position for 36 years.[11]

In 2000 (2000), Grey Advertising became Grey Global Group. On March 7, 2005 (2005-03-07), WPP Group beat out Havas in a race to acquire Grey Global, the seventh-largest advertising agency at the time,[citation needed] for approximately $1.3 billion USD.

In late 2005 (2005), James R. Heekin III became CEO of Grey Worldwide, Grey Global Group's traditional advertising agency. On January 1, 2007 (2007-01-01), he became Chairman and CEO of Grey Group, the renamed agency holding company.[4] He reports to Martin Sorrell, CEO of WPP Group.

Grey Group, Grey Advertising New York and G2 moved to a LEED certified building at 200 5th Avenue in New York in November 2009, after 45 years at their previous location.[12]

Grey San Francisco is the company's San Francisco-based West Coast headquarters.[13] Its clients include Symantec,[14] LendingTree,[15] Pernod Ricard,[16] and SunEdison.[17]

In 2016, Grey acquired ArcTouch, a mobile design and development studio, which it operates as a subsidiary.[18]

In March 2017, Grey's London office announced its rebranding as Valenstein & Fatt for 100 days, to celebrate its Jewish founders and later executives, and to highlight prejudice in society.[19]

In August 2017, Grey Group appointed Michael Houston as worldwide CEO on its 100th anniversary.[20]

In November 2020, WPP Group merged Grey Group and AKQA together to create AKQA Group.[21]

Awards

In 2010, Grey was listed on Fast Company's "50 Most Innovative Companies". In 2010, it was added to Advertising Age's "Agency A-List". In 2006, Grey was awarded 12 "Spots of the Week" by Ad Age, which placed it second-highest overall.[citation needed]

Controversy

In 2016, Grey for Good, Grey Group's philanthropic communications division, created a hoax app that claimed to use crowdsourcing to help the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean Sea.[22] After it was debunked by developers, the Apple Store pulled the app on the same day it was awarded a Bronze Lion at the Cannes Lions festival.[23]

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Nominee(s) Result
2017 Diversity in Media Awards Media Company of the Year Valenstein & Fatt (Grey London) Nominated
  • In the AMC series Mad Men, Duck Phillips joins Grey Advertising after being dumped by Sterling Cooper. The agency is frequently referenced as a chief competitor of Sterling Cooper throughout the series.
  • In episode three of the 2010 series of BBC Three's Young, Dumb and Living Off Mum, the young adults spend a day at Grey Advertising working on a mock sexual health campaign.
  • Lana Del Rey was born Elizabeth Woolridge Grant in New York City on June 21, 1985, to former Grey Group copywriter turned entrepreneur, Rob Grant, and former Grey account executive, Pat Grant.
  • Charlie Watts (drummer of the Rolling Stones) was an employee of Grey London advertising agency in the beginning of the sixties, as assistant art director.

See also

References

  1. ^ "One of Cincinnati's largest branding firms merges with N.Y. ad giant Grey Group". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  2. ^ "Nirvik Singh appointed Chairman & CEO of Grey Group Asia Pacific" (Press release). WPP. 2008-12-15. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
  3. ^ "Grey Company Profile". WPP. Retrieved 5 January 2009.
  4. ^ a b c "Grey Global Group appoints James R. Heekin III Chairman and CEO" (Press release). WPP. 2006-12-12. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
  5. ^ "Grey EMEA named Agency Network of the Year" (Press release). WPP. 2008-09-17. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
  6. ^ "Grey EMEA scoops Agency of the Year Award" (Press release). EACA Euro Effies. 2012. Retrieved 2013-04-04.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Advertising Age: "Grey Advertising Agency (Grey Advertising; Grey Worldwide)" September 15, 2003
  8. ^ a b c d New York Times: "Herbert Strauss, Ad Official Dies March 18, 1973
  9. ^ New York Times: "LAWRENCE VALENSTEIN DIES AT 83; FOUNDER OF GREY ADVERTISING" by Suzanne Daley September 12, 1982
  10. ^ New York Times: "Arthur Fatt, 94, Advertising Co-Founder" by Joseph B. Treaster January 16, 1999
  11. ^ Elliott, Stuart (2006-12-12). "After 36 Years at Grey, Time for Life No. 2". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-10-06.
  12. ^ "Grey Global Moves Into LEED-CS-Hopeful Toy Building at 200 Fifth Avenue". gbnyc. 2009-11-02. Archived from the original on November 6, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
  13. ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/05/business/media/grey-new-york-executive-takes-on-a-larger-role.html
  14. ^ http://www.adweek.com/agencyspy/grey-sf-nabs-symantecs-norton-biz/60084
  15. ^ http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/lendingtree-hires-grey-san-francisco-expand-brands-message-164890
  16. ^ http://www.adweek.com/agencyspy/grey-san-francisco-adds-a-little-wine-to-its-roster/94831
  17. ^ http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/grey-san-francisco-becomes-sunedisons-first-creative-lead-agency-164205
  18. ^ Group, Grey. "Grey Group Acquires Mobile Experiences Studio ArcTouch". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2017-01-20. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  19. ^ "Grey London Changes Name to Valenstein & Fatt in Diversity Drive". Retrieved 2017-04-25.
  20. ^ "On 100th anniversary, Grey Group appoints Michael Houston worldwide CEO". Retrieved 2017-11-13.
  21. ^ "WPP creates AKQA Group | WPP". www.wpp.com. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  22. ^ Hern, Alex (2016-06-21). "Refugee rescue app pulled from App Store after it is outed as fake". the Guardian. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
  23. ^ "Apple Pulled This App From iTunes the Same Day It Won a Lion at Cannes". AdWeek. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
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