Shiseido Americas Corporation (SAC), announced today that it has acquired JWALK, a full-service
creative agency, bringing cutting-edge creative and digital design power to support the company’s brands. SAC is the Americas regional headquarters and a consolidated subsidiary of Tokyo-based Shiseido Company, Limited (Shiseido).
Doug Jacob, Founder, JWALK will become Chief Creative Director, Shiseido Americas. He will report to Jill Scalamandre, President of Shiseido’s Global Makeup Center of Excellence.
Marc Rey, President & CEO of Shiseido Americas, explained on this movement: “This acquisition immediately sets Shiseido apart from the traditional approach to beauty marketing and how companies like ours approach creative excellence. By infusing JWALK into our entire creative process, we will not only be able to achieve organic, 360-degree results, but we will also have greater speed and agility in both the assets we create and the way we work. I am excited to welcome JWALK into our team as we drive our brands to the next level of success.”
“Creative power and agility have never been more important to a brand’s success. JWALK’s team members are bold, talented experts who have delivered stunning results by pushing the envelope in thoughtful, innovative and integrative ways. They bring tremendous expertise and energy in creative content, digital design, and brand building and will help our brands drive creative excellence across the board,” Rey underscored as well.
JWALK becomes an integrated part of Shiseido but keeps on servicing other clients
As an integrated part of the Shiseido Americas organization, JWALK will work hand-in-hand with Shiseido’s brand teams, playing a role in the entire creative process, from strategy to execution, and from concept to delivery. JWALK will provide innovative ideas, digital savviness, and creative support to help strengthen each brand’s creative consistency across all consumer touchpoints.
In addition to its work with Shiseido’s global brands, JWALK will continue working with new and existing, non-competitive clients in order to further develop its competitive edge and top talent pool.
Doug Jacob added: “Michael and I were never intending to sell JWALK. When this opportunity was presented to us by Marc and Jill, it aligned with our values and goals to continue to lead with design. The innovation and understanding of the creative process at Shiseido was unlike any other company we had dealt with. The way in which we set up this partnership allows us to remain at the forefront of the creative space, attracting the best talent in our industry and continuing our tradition of being bold in business and innovation. Essentially, we can ‘JWALK’ as we always have, and also be part of the next chapter of growth for the Shiseido portfolio.”
WALK Co-Founder Michael Lastoria, “This is a moment for JWALK to evolve while continuing to challenge the status quo as an agency, and as entrepreneurs that have always flown in the face of tradition.”
Ms. Scalamandre added, “I’m excited to begin working more closely with Doug and his team. JWALK will be an integral part of our global strategy for accelerating makeup growth across our portfolio. I have been a big fan of their work for several years, and look forward to leveraging their creative vision, as they become a key pillar within the Center of Excellence.”
Image over the headline.- Michael Lastoria (L) and Doug Jacob (R), co-founders, JWALK (Photo: Business Wire).
