Perfectly formed

Big is not always beautiful according to Publicis

Publicis, the world's fourth largest advertising agency, has come out in support of the merits of small agencies. Following a raft of global accounts wins at smaller agencies, the advertising giant has decided to launch its own in Paris.

The increased success and rising profile of small agencies comes at a time of heightened merger and acquisition activity which has led to the creation of advertising and communications firms such as Publicis and WPP, designed to cater for a multinational client's every need.

While most larger companies still look for a big agency partner, according to Publicis, there are enough big clients seeking an alternative to warrant the creation of a small concern.

The new marketing agency will be called Marcel after Publicis founder Marcel Bleustein-Blanchet. FrÈdÈric Raillard and Farid Mokart, an awarding-winning creative team that worked most recently at Omnicom's Goodby Silverstein agency in the US, will run the agency.

Publicis chairman and chief executive, Maurice LÈvy, said he wanted two creatives to run the business rather than business managers to show that the company is ìcreating something totally newî.

While Marcel, which will comprise 20 to 30 people when it opens for business, will concentrate on consumer brands at NestlÈ and Allied Domecq, its creation is indicative of a trend in advertising that can be seen in both FMCG and healthcare.

In the US, there is a concern in the advertising industry that traditional methods used to engage customers, such as the 30-second TV ad, are losing their appeal as delivery via the internet and mobile phones becomes more widespread.

Small agencies, worldwide, are gaining a reputation for coming up with more innovation solutions than their larger contemporaries. Both Raillard and Mokart believe that small advertising firms are better able to come up with campaigns that are seen as entertainment and grab consumers' attention.