It is a complex time to be a big player in the global marketing communications (‘marcomms’) industry. The explosion of digital media means that every marketing idea is scrutinised by a variety of influencers with voracious demands for content, media outlets are merging overnight, and social media technologies are expanding rapidly. Multi-agency networks, like JWT, face the challenge of improving profitability through strategic integration.
Strategic integration, however, is hard to achieve. In principle, it entails exploiting the growth potential of the network by fully combining resources and competencies from business units or brands and directing those units towards new business opportunities that extend the existing corporate strategy of the network as a whole. In practice, how this is achieved is quite a delicate exercise in convergence, mainly because increased demands for transparency and authenticity mean that companies must speak with one voice to clients and markets. To stay ahead of the game in this industry, global marcomms networks have been converging rapidly as they continuously re-engineer to focus on the capabilities that would improve their speed, quality, efficiency and responsiveness – and pruning business activities that no longer fit the value-creation logic of their corporate strategy.
In 2015, JWT, who had approximately 10,000 employees, made a similar attempt by creating a global multi-agency digital network called Mirum. Prior to Mirum, JWT had acquired a variety of digital agencies the world over. Each of these agencies was a leader in its respective market, each hosting distinct talents and skills. JWT, however, struggled to bring them to work together – conflicting reporting lines, mixed digital fluency and a complex digital landscape meant that it could not afford to deliver a siloed approach to communications. It had to find a single voice to bind them all, sharing common values, technological skills and the ultimate desire to transform businesses through digital communications solutions.
Mirum was created to integrate JWT’s digital expertise and promote greater agility and exchange between all agencies involved. Its website describes it as: a new agency created with a pioneering spirit, built by bringing together successful regional companies that have a deep understanding of local market needs. Our principles are rooted in innovation, design, data marketing and technology to drive business transformation in a world of constantly evolving behaviours and expectations. Operating in 17 countries, with 40 offices and more than 2,200 professionals, Mirum is a global agency that is a part of the J. Walter Thompson Company and WPP family.
Mirum’s capabilities are organised around ‘Strategy & Consulting’ services, ‘Creative & Content’, ‘User Experience & Platforms’, ‘Analytics & Insight’, and ‘Product Development & Mobile’. Additionally, Mirum is able to provide deep vertical service offerings in Digital Retail, Behavioral Media and Financial Services. Mirum allowed JWT to provide more access to talent from around the globe, enabling the agency to tap into the expertise of different niches, while been able to deliver both the technology and innovative solutions that global brands demand. At the end of 2018, JWT merged with digital agency Wunderman to form ‘Wunderman Thompson’, who now own Mirum. As of 2019, Mirum Operates in 17 countries, with 40 offices and employs more than 2,200 professionals. Some of Mirum’s client include include CBRE, Cyrela, Daum Kakao, Finnair, HSBC, Magazine Luiza, Mazda, Microsoft, Nokia, Petco, Singapore Tourism Board, TD Bank, Walmart and XL. Moreover, some of Mirum’s companies include Digitaria (US), XM (Asia Pacific), CASA (Brazil), ActivearkJWT (Finland, Sweden, India, UK) and Twist Image (Canada), Lunchbox (US), i-Cherry (Brazil), HeathWallace (UK), Quirk (South Africa, UK), Clarus (Mexico) and X-Prime (France).