GroupM expands offering with relaunch of its search business Outrider as new digital agency M

GroupM has today relaunched its successful search business, Outrider Australia, as new digital agency M with an expanded offering that includes search, mobile, social, creative production and performance display. Acting as a hub for new and emerging technology, M will support GroupM companies and work directly with its own clients.

Building on its search heritage and expertise, M is adding new capabilities with a focus on emergent technology. M will help clients tackle the complexities of digital marketing by merging qualitative, quantitative and competitive data. It will take a platform-agnostic approach to clearly identify the best strategic direction for clients and help them navigate through the multitude of technology and data layers around challenging areas, such as mobile marketing and video. Measurement and attribution will be at the core of all strategies.

Says Danny Bass, chief digital officer, GroupM: “We’ve got to make sure there is a big flag at 65 Berry Street that says if you’re a local start-up or coming to Australia and you’ve got a new piece of kit or technology and it’s relevant to our agencies, you can have one conversation. If we think it’s right we can help navigate the group. If you’re an Australian business or coming from the US or China or Israel or wherever, we want to make it easier for people to present their opportunity to GroupM. The gateway for that will be M.”

Key to M’s strategy is the selection of a new breed of talent – individuals who possess a blend of technology, creative and strategic skills and experience. It’s the combination of people, new technology and data insights that will differentiate M within the Australian market.

Says Gary Nissim, general manager, M: “We’re building a culture based on inquisitive and opinionated people. Recruiting from an Australian base, M will focus on people with non-traditional media backgrounds. We will be targeting people with statistical and science degrees that have the aptitude and minds for this type of work. With GroupM’s patented digital training programmes, we will be turning these statistical minds into digital marketeers which will help both GroupM and the industry build on what is a very small talent pool.”

M launches with a strong stable of clients – who have been migrated from Outrider to M. Clients include BigPond, Bankwest, News Limited – Career One, Foxtel, Dyson, ASX, Jetstar, Financial Times and Air Pacific.

M will be located in North Sydney at GroupM towers.

(Pictured L-R: Danny Bass, chief digital officer, GroupM and Gary Nissim, general manager, M)