DISRUPTING THE MARKETERS
What Stagwell Media’s investment means for us, and for the future of marketing
March, 2017: Axios broke the news that Targeted Victory received an investment from, and is forming a strategic partnership with, Stagwell Media LLC, a private equity fund founded by Mark Penn.
Our agency focuses on winning political elections and solving global corporate challenges. As we continue to chart our own future, we wanted a partnership with a powerful, forward-looking network of companies that see the marketing industry the way we do. In Stagwell Media, we found that partner.
Stagwell Media has already raised $250 million in capital and may leverage that to make up to $750 million in acquisitions. They spent 2015 and 2016 acquiring best-in-class companies and doubling their profits. The fact they chose Targeted Victory is great news for our agency, but the partnership we’ll create together is great news for our industry.
As we continue to chart our own future, we wanted a partnership with a powerful, forward-looking network of companies that see the marketing industry the way we do.
This investment validates Targeted Victory’s core conviction: the notion that public affairs firms can simply bolt-on a “digital” team is unsustainable. There is no such thing as a “complimentary digital strategy” anymore — it’s simply strategy in a digital age. Our shared vision is that the future of marketing will be great creative, truly actionable analytics, an understanding of how to optimize outcomes in the digital age, and a commitment to investing in great people.
We fundamentally believe that politics must fully embrace digital’s disruptive potential. Today’s announcement places our agency at the forefront of that disruption.
So, what does this partnership really mean for us, for our clients, and for the industry? We hope this post offers insight on our perspective, and invites an entirely new discussion about the future of our industry.
For us, this exciting new partnership accelerates our agency’s expansion toward working with world class companies and global brands.
We’re proud to serve as the lead digital marketing and fundraising programs for House Speaker Paul Ryan and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Since our inception, we served more than 700 of the biggest names in politics and business, managed over $200 million in digital advertising, and raised over $350 million for our clients. This partnership will help us build on that success.
We now have the opportunity to work alongside other top agencies under The Stagwell Group portfolio, including public opinion research leader Harris Insights & Analytics, leading integrated performance-driven global marketing firm PMX Agency, creative digital firm Code and Theory, strategic communications firm SKDKnickerbocker, and entertainment research firm National Research Group (NRG).
Today’s announcement adds tremendous value as we continue recruiting top Republican strategists across the digital, advertising, and public affairs space.
For our clients, national political and corporate decision makers, it means they now have access to an even stronger team of top strategists offering comprehensive solutions and counsel on public affairs, advertising, media planning, fundraising and reputation management.
It will also strengthen our already unmatched relationships with top teams at Facebook, Google, Twitter and Snapchat.
We believe that our success can also lead to the success of so many great Washington, DC-based firms. Some of the best minds in the country live and work right here. We’ve partnered with, and fought against them on many tough campaigns. We’ve seen their value up close.
Stagwell Media’s level of insight and experience with the biggest global brands will help us open doors and build bridges between other Republican firms and Silicon Valley, Madison Avenue, and Wall Street.
We need to see the world through a 9 x 16 lense, not a 16 x 9.
For the industry, this partnership is another sure sign that times are changing. Another driving force for us is our belief that we need to see the world through a 9 x 16 lense, not a 16 x 9.
While others are still trying to understand how to pivot, our agency from day one was built on the understanding that all growth will be in digital and mobile. Because of our commitment to this core belief, we built out and will continue to expand our creative team, to solve one to 14 second video creative built exclusively for mobile. There are too few agencies in the political space who understand this market exists — let alone who are optimizing for it.
Targeted Victory is committed to disrupting the digital marketing arena. It makes no sense for a new generation of corporate and political clients to continue to rely on an outdated, analog approach in a digital world.
It makes no sense for a new generation of corporate and political clients to continue to rely on an outdated, analog approach in a digital world.
We are proud of our new partnership with Stagwell Media. We are optimistic about the future. More importantly, we encourage others to join us in finding new opportunities and new partnerships that help them move beyond the current groupthink in Washington, DC to solve emerging political and global challenges in a digital age. A rising tide lifts all boats.
