Carlson merges its top agencies

Carlson Marketing Group, the UK’s second-largest below-the-line

agency group, is merging its two leading agency brands, Smith Bundy

Carlson and Eleven, in all but name and has promoted Marcus Evans to the

position of UK group chairman.

Evans replaces Robert Janes, who is stepping up to an international

role. The reshuffle also sees the role of group chief executive being

axed, with the joint incumbents, Steve Cook and David Perkins, being

redeployed. Cook will become the client development director and Perkins

will be the director of international strategy.

Cook will report to Evans, as will the executive creative director,

Trevor Pettit. Perkins, with his international role, will continue to

report to Janes.

Janes explained the requirement to merge the management of the two

agencies in an internal memo. ’Both SBC and Eleven have been built into

very credible brands in the marketplace, but both lack the critical mass

in many areas to fully capitalise on their potential,’ he stated.

The agencies will retain their separate names but will operate under a

common management team.

Mike Bowen, the managing director of Eleven, will take on the managing

director role and Chris Martin, the creative director of SBC, will

become the group creative director.

Account teams for both agencies’ clients and pitch teams will comprise

staff from both SBC and Eleven.

Evans joined Carlson in the new role of group development director just

six months ago (Campaign, 5 November), following his resignation as the

chairman and chief executive of Bates Communications when it was merged

with the rest of Bates UK’s below-the-line operations.

Martin was the creative director at Bates Communications. He joined SBC

with his copywriter partner, Tim Lines, in January.

Evans explained that the SBC and Eleven names will be kept separate due

to the loyalty both brands have with clients and staff. He said: ’We

want to consolidate our position as the largest and best customer

relationship marketing agency in Europe and continue to develop and

simplify what is becoming a convoluted and jargonistic area.’

This article was first published on Campaign