Redhouse gets TBWA licence in Kenya

By WINSLEY MASESE

Redhouse Group Chief Executive Officer Koome Mwambia. The group is targeting Kenya and the larger Eastern Africa region markets. [PHOTO: COURTESY/STANDARD]

Marketing communications agency, Redhouse Advertising, has acquired the TBWA Worldwide licence in Kenya.  This will give the agency’s clients in the East African region access to global markets.

 Koome Mwambia, chief executive officer, Redhouse Group said the deal will help Redhouse Advertising to tap into a rich wealth of knowledge resource base as well as TBWA’s global best practice, client base and a Pan-African and global footprint.  “The affiliation with TBWA extends to Redhouse Advertising access to global knowledge, tools, network and footprint that is critical in scaling up our operations across multiple markets in Africa,” said Mr Mwambia.

integrated marketing

 Derek Bouwer, Group Chief executive officer of TBWA South Africa said the partnership would help the firm harness the vast integrated marketing communications opportunities present in Kenya.

 Bouwer cited Kenya’s importance to TBWA’s Pan-African ambition as being underpinned by the country’s unrivaled economic growth, a fast expanding consumer market and hub advantage providing easy access into the Eastern Africa regional economic block.

 TBWA, owned by Omnicom Group, is one of the world’s largest brand communications holding companies with 27 agencies and operations in 24 countries in Africa. Redhouse Advertising was founded early this year under the Redhouse Group of Companies.

 Firms in the communications agency business have been consolidating their services and forming affiliations with international firms in a bid to grow their client base and offer added services to existing customers.

 Last month Gina Din Corporate Communications announced a merger with Imagine IMC to create Gina Din Group.

 Advertising giant Scangroup and its subsidiary Ogilvy & Mather control more than 60 per cent of the advertising business in Kenya. Other players are Transcend Media Group, Saracen, Access Leo and Young and Rubicam.

 Firms such as Interactive, Nuturn, Communication Springboard, Promotions Marketing, Communication Ltd, Smart Media Edge and Suave Media are also fighting for a piece of the business.  

 Redhouse Group, which formed Redhouse Public Relations in August last year is owned by a group of local investors and targets the Kenyan and larger Eastern Africa region markets including Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and South Sudan.

joint venture

 Last year Redhouse Group completed a majority joint venture deal with Media Edge Group, which includes Media Edge Interactive and Media Edge Public Relations.

When Redhouse Group announced the formation of Redhouse Public Relations in August 2012 followed with the launch of Redhouse Advertising in March this year, the company stated that it had been in discussions with global networks and would gradually be making an announcement on its intent to enhance the Groups’ footprint as well as tap into a rich multinational agency culture and best practice.

Redhouse Advertising is headed by the founding Managing Director George Ojing, a seasoned advertising professional with over 10 years of marketing communications experience.

Redhouse Group currently employs 70 people in Kenya.