Y&R Group has consolidated its retail and shopper marketing capabilities under the Labstore network, with IdeaWorks co-founder Jon Bird moving to New York to take on the global MD role.
In Australia, IdeaWorks will fall under the Labstore umbrella but will remain as its own brand. Recently appointed Sydney MD of IdeaWorks, Christopher Lyons, will take over from Bird.
Labstore originated in Spain in 2001 and expanded to six markets in Latin America in 2012. Retail and shopper capabilities across the global Y&R Group will now all roll into the Labstore network and share the same proprietary resources, tools and global positioning.
Y&R global chief executive David Sable said: "We have great retail and shopper capabilities around the world. Labstore is the perfect confluence of Y&R’s core brands, Y&R Advertising and VML — highly strategic, enormously creative, digital at the core.
"We now have the ability and leadership to leverage this offering globally so that both global and local clients everywhere can meet the increasing challenges of the retail environment.
"There is no one better suited to lead Labstore than Jon Bird, who is a bona fide thought leader and whose great success with IdeaWorks in Australia and New Zealand has been an enormous training ground for leading this charge.
"With Labstore, we have a distinct point of view that speaks to the challenges and demands of the marketplace, both from the retail and consumer perspective and a way of working that is fully integrated with Y&R Advertising and VML."
Phil McDonald, group managing director of Y&R Group, said: "Being an integral part of a global shopper marketing network like Labstore will be of enormous benefit for the knowledge of our people here in Australia and as a consistent source of global retail intelligence for our clients. It’s also pretty handy for us here that Jon is now the global MD."
Labstore's clients already include Telefonica in Spain, Movistar in Spain and Latin America, GE Moneybank in Europe, Colgate-Palmolive in Thailand and the Philippines, Dick Smith, Petbarn, Rebel and Payless Shoes in Australia and Westfield and The Mill in New Zealand.
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.
Have something to say? Send us your comments using the form below or contact the writer at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.