Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide

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Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide (often referred to just Ogilvy & Mather (O&M) but not to be confused with Ogilvy & Mather Public Relations Worldwide) is an advertising subsidiary of WPP.

Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide describes itself as "one of the largest marketing communications networks in the world [servicing] more Fortune Global 500 companies in five or more countries than any other agency."

History

"Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide is the agency created by British-born advertising legend David Ogilvy in 1948, virtually from scratch. It now has 35 US offices and a further 359 worldwide in over 90 countries. It was the first agency into China, Korea and Vietnam and is now Asia's largest integrated network; also one of the first into Eastern Europe. Excluding specialised marketing subsidiaries, Advertising Age ranked O&M as the #11 agency network worldwide in 2002 with revenues of $589m."[1]

"Ogilvy is a member of the WPP Group plc, one of the largest communication services companies in the world. There are more than 60 companies in the group, including J. Walter Thompson, Hill & Knowlton, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, Millward Brown, Research International, Mindshare, and The Brand Union, formally known as EnterprizeIG. Through the WPP family, Ogilvy has access to top-rated expertise in the communications spectrum, such as design, research, public relations, identity, retail marketing, sales promotion and new media."[2]

Clients

The Wall Street Journal reported that China's Ogilvy & Mather office had formed "an unlikely marketing joint venture" with the Communist Youth League of China, called Red Force. "In exchange for helping clients including petroleum and chemical giant Sinochem Corp. and Hong Kong Disneyland make pitches to Chinese shoppers, Ogilvy has groomed more than 3,500 youth-league members in doing promotions and running a business," the Journal reported. [3]

Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide replaced Zenith Media Services, Inc. as the media buyer for the Office of National Drug Control Policy.[4]

In June 2005, Ogilvy & Mather launched the first promotional campaign ever for the drug company Merck - a $20 million, 6-month campaign with the slogan "Merck. Where patients come first." The campaign was planned before the company was forced to withdraw its popular painkiller Vioxx, and before evidence came to light that Merck not only ignored evidence that Vioxx caused heart complications, but also heavily marketed the drug.

The major goal of the Merck promotional campaign was "to build emotional ties between Merck and consumers": [5]

One television commercial shows cute children reacting in charming confusion to requests to define "measles," "mumps" and "chicken pox."
"Most kids today don't have a clue about diseases adults remember, thanks to Merck's scientists," a female announcer says, adding: "We've invested billions to research heart disease and asthma. Now we're trying to make Alzheimer's, diabetes and cancer history too." ...
Also, more than 40 percent of the ads in the campaign are being devoted to information about what Merck calls its access programs, which are efforts to provide some consumers with prescription drugs either free or at reduced prices.

Michael Guarini, the managing director for Ogilvy & Mather's health care practice, said, "We want the public to understand a little more who Merck is and raise the awareness of Merck, but we also want to communicate useful information." While the Vioxx scandal had tarnished Merck and public opinion of drug companies in general was low, "It's always good to engage in dialogue, to make sure the public has true, balanced, accurate information," said Guarini. [6]

Contact details

Web: http://www.ogilvy.com/

SourceWatch Resources

External links

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