Search Laboratory is to be at the centre of a major change at Havas Media Network as it merges with Havas Market UK to create a 150-strong operation.
The Leeds agency was acquired by Havas in 2021 and now it will be the focal point of the new “limitless performance” proposition aiming to help brands break down barriers between commerce and performance.
“By combining the digital marketing expertise of Search Laboratory with our existing commerce experts, we are creating something unique that will help deliver limitless performance for our clients,” explained Patrick Affleck, CEO, HMN UK & Ireland.
“The expertise, capabilities and technology housed within Havas Market will enable us to build experiences that bring our clients’ customers closer to the point of transaction or action faster, more efficiently and more effectively. Locally relevant but part of an expanding global Havas Market network, this is an exciting new chapter for the Agency.”
Havas Market will be led by Managing Director Alex Walker who founded commerce specialists Expert Edge, which HMN UK acquired in 2022 and became the basis of Havas Market.
“The rules of commerce and performance have changed again,” said Walker.
“Brands need a cohesive multichannel experience delivered at the speed of technological development. Commerce and performance can no longer remain siloed if we are to provide the cohesive multichannel experience that our clients increasingly ask for. With a renewed Havas Market proposition, we are creating a powerful assortment of performance capabilities to unlock limitless performance and real commercial opportunities tailored to clients’ needs.”
Havas Market UK will work across strategy and planning, channel activation (paid search, display and video, SEO, digital PR and organic, paid and commerce social), retail & commerce (marketplaces, retail hubs), retail media and data, analytics and technology consultancy (data strategy, tech solutions, data insights, data activation and measurement & visualisation).
It will sit alongside Havas Media, Havas Entertainment, Havas Play and Ledger Bennett within Havas Media Network UK.
