M&C Saatchi to Open Shopper Agency in September

M&C Saatchi Group has announced it will be launching a brand new agency specialising in driving purchase conversion in September 2015, with Michelle Whelan as Managing Director.

By offering insight into today’s omni-channel shopper, the new agency – to be christened in September – will help brands better connect their communications across channels to maximise conversion at every touch point. The division will service existing Group clients, as well as targeting new retail and FMCG brands.

Headed up by Michelle Whelan – currently Managing Partner at Arc Worldwide – with creative oversight from LIDA’s ECD, Nicky Bullard, the new agency will bring together talent from across the Group to create an integrated offering.

With a wealth of experience in shopper marketing, Whelan was previously Head of Shopper Marketing and CSD at Arc Worldwide, and has worked with a range of retail and FMCG brands including Tesco, P&G, Cadbury, Samsung, Sony, VW, L’Oreal and EA Games. As Managing Partner at Arc Worldwide she was integral in winning the IPM Agency of the Year Award in 2014 and most recently MAA Agency of the Year 2015. She previously held senior positions at Iris, BBDO, and TBWA.

Lisa Thomas, CEO at M&C Saatchi Group, said: “Understanding why and how and where people buy is increasingly more important to our clients and to producing brilliant creative ideas.  Data and technology make this an even more exciting space to be.  Michelle is bright, charming and knows Shopper inside out.  She is the perfect person to lead our offer across the Group in the UK.”

Michelle Whelan added: “Historically, shopper marketing has been on the periphery of agency and client thinking. In a world where every channel is shoppable, there is massive opportunity to create commercial advantage by connecting data, mobile, social, experiential and creative technology.”

Whelan will join M&C Saatchi Group in May to begin laying the ground-work ahead of the launch of the new division in September. The new agency will be head-quartered in Golden Square.