The Walt Disney Company announces new media agency set-up
 recently announced a new retained media agency structure for the EMEA region, following a strategic ... "Pin It"){kind=logo}
Disney’s communications planning and implementation will be handled by OMD in MENA, including social media
Dubai, 7 May 2014 – The Walt Disney Company Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) recently announced a new retained media agency structure for the EMEA region, following a strategic review of its communications planning and media implementation. Disney will be working with Omnicom Media Group as lead agency at a regional level and in the UK and Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, Central & Eastern Europe, Nordics as well as Emerging Markets (Greece, Middle East, South Africa and Turkey).
The new contracts will commence on July 1. Tricia Wilber, chief marketing officer, The Walt Disney Company EMEA, and general manager, Disney Channels EMEA, said, “The Walt Disney Company has embraced major change over the last few years, both from a consumer-facing and an internal point of view. With these new appointments, we will have the innovative and strategic integrated communications planning approach that we need in order to remain at the forefront of the ever-shifting media landscape.”
In a separate move, The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) MENA has also tasked OMD with its social media assignment in the Middle East. “Furthering its goal of bringing content to consumers on the platforms they prefer, The Walt Disney Company MENA has appointed OMD as its social media agency in the Middle East,” said Didier Vanneste, Country Head, TWDC MENA. “We saw in OMD’s approach a potent blend of science and creativity. With their proven experience in crafting best-in-class social media strategies and executions, we believe OMD is ideally placed to give Disney its true voice in the region via social media channels. As we grow our fan base in MENA, conversing in both English and Arabic is of paramount importance. Disney MENA believes this partnership will bring many exciting initiatives (and a little bit of magic) in the social space.”
“We all grew up with Disney so it’s only fair that we should now contribute to Disney’s growth. This is a very meaningful appointment for us since not only did we win the account internationally, but we will also be handling their social media in this part of the world,” commented Nadim Samara, managing director of OMD UAE & Lower Gulf. “This new partnership represents an exciting and fun opportunity for us to deploy best-in-class specialist services such as social media. This shows that our expertise is this area is attractive to both integrated clients as well as standalone ones. We look forward to coming up with some magical innovations in this space with and for the master wizards of entertainment.”
About The Walt Disney Company:
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of $45 billion in its last fiscal year (FY13). The Walt Disney Company has been at the forefront of family entertainment in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for 80 years and is dedicated to creating innovative, entertainment experiences for children and families. Disney has a presence in 25 countries and employs more than 6,000 people (and 14,500 employees in Disneyland Paris) in 42 offices, and London (UK) is the regional headquarters. Disney is experienced in numerous ways across the region including in cinemas, on TV screens with Disney-branded channels as well as through non branded content such as the award-winning series “Revenge”, through a wide range of consumer products that are sold at mass market retailers and in numerous Disney Stores across the region, and at Disneyland Paris, which opened in 1992 and is Europe’s #1 tourist destination.
www.thewaltdisneycompany.com
About OMD:
OMD, a global media network part of the Omnicom Media Group, is the largest and most innovative media marketing company in the world, with more than 10,000 employees in 100 markets serving many of the most successful and well-known global brands. The Gunn Report for Media has rated it as the Most Creative Media Agency for an unprecedented eight consecutive years. Named Media Agency of the Year by Campaign Middle East in 2011 and 2013, it has also received several global accolades, including the title of Adweek’s Global Media Agency of the Year for 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2013. OMD MENA also led the Effectiveness Index in the region, produced by WARC and Effie Worldwide in both 2011 and 2012. In 2014, the Great Place To Work Institute named it the third best employer in the UAE, along with the rest of the Omnicom Media Group MENA agencies.
www.omd.com
