Archive for the ‘People’ Category

A call for change in digital marketing

Antwerp/Brussels, April 27th, 2010 - Duval Guillaume today announced the launch of Duval Guillaume Modem, the agency’s new interactive expert unit. Duval Guillaume Modem will be dedicated to creating and managing interactive brand experiences and relationships, through an innovative relationship platform approach.

Giving advertisers more value for money

“The demand for digital solutions that create value is growing rapidly”, says Klaus Lommatzsch, CEO Duval Guillaume. “Creating Duval Guillaume Modem allows us to offer our clients a powerful solution to integrate the digital offering in such a way that it contributes to their overall business success. Powered by our interactive know-how and relevant creative excellence made by Duval Guillaume, Duval Guillaume Modem has the scope to set a new kind of connected agency.”

Johan Van Mol, Managing Partner Duval Guillaume Modem adds: “Today, a lot of energy and money is lost in campaign-based ad hoc marketing. Duval Guillaume Modem calls for a change. We believe that brands can only establish value-creating relationships with customers through progressive relationship platforms that continuously improve based on market and consumer insights, stakeholder interaction and metrics. We are convinced that well-managed relationship platforms have the ability to become true assets to a brand.”

Progressive Relationship Platform®

Progressive Relationship Platforms® are a new dynamic way of looking at how brands connect with their stakeholders in a digital world. In essence, a Progressive Relationship Platform® is composed of a strong brand idea and an effective digital architecture that supports and carries the idea and the brand. A Progressive Relationship Platform® is a true asset to a brand, because it grows and becomes stronger over time. Platforms connect people and brands by means of conversations, entertainment and information.

Progressive Relationship Platforms® also need intelligent strategies to be effective in connecting the brand to its customers and allowing for a continuous feed of the platform. Today, consumers use fragmented media, control the conversation and have more impact on a brand. A one-way connection strategy is no longer relevant.

Duval Guillaume Modem, part of Duval Guillaume

Duval Guillaume Modem is an expert unit of Duval Guillaume next to the other units Duval Guillaume Antwerp (through-the-line advertising) and Duval Guillaume Brussels (through-the-line advertising), Duval Guillaume Dialog (CRM, direct marketing and brand activation) and Duval Guillaume Corporate (corporate branding, employer branding, reputation management and PR, publishing). Duval Guillaume Modem is headed by Johan Van Mol (Managing Partner), Lansen Walraet (Creative Director) for the Antwerp office and Kris Hoet (Head of Digital Strategy) and Peter Ampe and Katrien Bottez (Creative Directors) for the Brussels office.

Duval Guillaume Modem will also represent the international Modem network in Belgium. Modem is the worldwide digital experience agency network of Publicis Worldwide, active in 40 countries and counting 2500 employees.

Duval Guillaume is reinforcing its online expertise by attracting more talent. In spring 2008 eight new faces will join our organization to provide an even better service to our existing and new clients.

In our full service agencies we’re not into lines, not above, below, nor through. Duval Guillaume is a place where ambitious advertisers and creative talents meet and build brands together. The online expert center represents people working on digital strategy, creative concepts, content in all its forms, user experience and webdesign & webdevelopment.

Michel Thysen is the new Online Manager in our Antwerp offices. He will be responsible for all new business and Client relations, as also for the team management and online strategy. Inès Van Lautem starts as a planning and traffic manager to match work with people. Geert Theys is the technical project manager we were looking for.

Gijs Hoppenbrouwers, Liesbeth Willaert and Manoël Sanchez are web producers (account managers) working on Belgian and international clients, such as Brussels Airlines, Topps, Nikon Europe and Leaseplan. Greet Jans will add value to our user experience team as an information architect. Mara Kockaerts works as a junior interface designer and Olivier Rocq starts as a web developer.  

Olivier Trop has started as head of public relations at Duval Guillaume. Duval Guillaume offers a wide range of strategic PR services including media relations, internal communication, issue and crisis management and influencer communication.

At the moment, Duval Guillaume advises brands such as Dexia, Fedex, LeasePlan, Dunlop, Hyundai and Weekendesk. Olivier Trop is a seasoned PR expert with over 15 years experience. With his appointment we intend to strengthen and expand our PR activities.

You can view Olivier’s profile on LinkedIn.

There has been some media coverage about online virtual worlds, Second Life in particular. These gamelike environments where entered by brands, marketeers and advertisers, since they allow a new kind of interaction with their visitors.

David Hachez, one of our strategists, was interviewed by Belgian broadcaster RTL TVI to give some insights about this phenomenon. Interview in French.

David has an interesting blog of his own, where he writes about online interaction, digital communication and marketing. Visit David’s blog at: dhtheafter.blogspot.com