Investing Early and Often

Brandweek, Oct 2, 2000 by Bob Schmetterer

Revolution" is simply not a big enough word to describe the impact of the Internet. It's changing both the fundamentals of the way the world does business and the ways different media work together. And if the business of advertising remains the art and science of connecting people, brands and media with strategic wisdom and creative ideas, then the fundamental structure of how we organize, work and think has to change in revolutionary ways as well.

The Internet has redefined advertising, marketing services, interactivity and public relations, as well as the ways they interrelate. So, we need to continue finding innovative ways of working across disciplines, agency offices and geographies.

At Euro RSCG Worldwide, we believe so deeply in the power of the Internet that we have put it at the center of our business. We invested early in technology to allow us to better manage our global clients and to connect our employees to each other around the world. A few years ago, along with our client Intel, we developed a proprietary, Web-based global collaboration tool called StarLink. Designed specifically for advertising--it moves documents, copy and rich graphics, and video between agencies and clients--StarLink fosters collaboration between geographically far-flung agency and client teams. Today, StarLink has become an integral part of the business process for more than 20 international clients. In fact, Philips Electronics recently selected Euro RSCG Starlink as one of its top 25 e-Net applications.

We also created a sophisticated Intranet for all Euro RSCG employees worldwide called StarNet. Everything from new business presentations and case studies to the latest press coverage and a library of TV spots from around the network is available.

It also features online communities that bring together people who share interests, work on the same brand or in the same discipline.

As we've expanded Euro RSCG over the past year with a variety of strategic acquisitions, we've done it with a focus on Internet-empowered integrated communication. We know that because the brand has become crucial to business strategy--not just communications strategy--we in advertising have to do more than advertising. We need consulting, content development and data-based marketing tools to be truly part of advertising.

We've acquired many companies that are made up of people familiar with exploring ideas outside of traditional campaigns. These companies include: Meridian Consulting Euro RSCG, a strategic marketing and sales consulting company; Tyee Euro RSCG, which provides direct response and long-form advertising to Fortune 1000 companies; Absolut, a French interactive company; Bounty SCA, a supplier of targeted consumer access; Field Force The Sales Machine, a marketing services company in China, where it has offices in 30 cities; and Middleberg Euro RSCG, the U.S.-based Internet communications and public relations firm. When you put these people together with traditional creative people, you have a group that can consult as well as execute those creative business ideas.

In order to react quickly to clients, you need to have the people in place to deliver a variety of services. We believe that our services need to be integrated into the overall agency structure--including our interactive, marketing services and healthcare groups. Our approach to interactive, for example, differs from those who have spun off their interactive offerings into separate businesses or simply made investments in Internet companies.

Finally, technology has allowed us to operate with a very flat, decentralized and lean management structure. We get things accomplished quickly without unnecessary meetings or conference calls. I personally answer more than 100 e-mails a day no matter where I am, as do our regional leaders and agency heads. Our way of operating attracts entrepreneurial people--people who lead the type of agencies that have long shied away from becoming part of global communications groups. The fact that Euro RSCG Worldwide is just 9 years old has proved to be a great advantage. We did not have to reinvent ourselves. We launched ourselves from scratch as an agency for the new century.

Bob Schmetterer is chairman and CEO of Euro RSCG Worldwide.