Once executed the purchase of Havas by Vivendi last 3rd July, Havas Group keeps on adding talent to their “way together”. Now the French advertising group is boosting its ever-growing global capabilities in healthcare and wellness with the acquisition of SO What Global. The agency will join the Havas Health & You business unit under the name Havas SO.
SO Healthy and SO Active, are included in the purchase. Both agencies, which are complementary to SO What, bring philosofy and service synergies to the Havas Group agency roster, thaks to its full spectrum of science- and consumerfocused communication skill sets for global clients.
Also under this deal, the existing Havas Group agency Health for Brands London (H4B London) becomes part of the Havas SO Group, adding to the full range of services from PR to creative and digital that the Group offers.
Yannick Bolloré, CEO, Havas Group commented on the transaction: “Bringing SO What Global into Havas Health & You is a strong strategic move to expand our healthcare and wellness capabilities. Their entrepreneurial mindset within the Havas Village will work to stimulate even more business growth and drive. I wish the teams a warm welcome to the Havas Family.”
SO What founders and management team continue leading the agency
Following the acquisition, the management team of Scott A. Clark and Oliver Parsons, who are SO’s co-founders and managing partners, keep on leading the team the team of health, well-being and lifestyle comms professionals.
Clark and Parsons will report to Donna Murphy, CEO of Havas Health & You, and will work closely with European senior leaders in the day-to-day operations.
The team that founded SO, including Scott A. Clark, Oliver Parsons, Stephanie Bunten, Lee-Ann Cameron, Moira Gitsham and Matt Dawson, is well reputed by building leading agencies, including Fast Track 100 high-growth award winners and No. 1 ranked specialist agencies.
Donna Murphy, CEO of Havas Health & You said on the purchase: “The entrepreneurial and innovative SO culture makes it a perfect fit for the Havas family. Its integrated approach and fresh concepts, as well as the vast talent pool across the communications spectrum it brings, will bolster in exciting ways the Havas offering for global clients.”
“Life communications” agency
Focused on “life communications”, namely health, well-being and lifestyle, SO What Global currently works with many of the top pharma, consumer lifestyle and wellness companies as well as global associations. Along with its robust client roster, the agency will bring and further evolve its proprietary mapping and development framework, called RelationSHIFT, which helps define where clients are in terms of reputation and then creates a tailored pathway that moves them closer to the relationships that matter with key stakeholders.
Image over the headline.- SO What Global logo. Image by courtesy of Havas Group.
Related Eastwind Marketing links:
Related Eastwind Marketing links (Spanish edition):
Vivendi ejecutó hoy la compra de Havas
(Vivendi executed today Havas’ purchase)
Alfonso Rodés: La fusión con Vivendi nos afecta poco en España
(Alfonso Rodés: The merger with Vivendi has a small effect in Spain)
