Arnold Direct will become a subsidiary of direct marketing agency Brann Worldwide in a move that comes less than four months after French agency holding company Havas Advertising merged Brann with Arnold Worldwide Partners.
The move also comes six months after Paris-based Havas said it would cut its operating divisions from four to three after it unraveled its 70-strong Diversified Agencies Group. The three Havas divisions now standing are Arnold Worldwide, Euro RSCG Worldwide and media specialist MPG.
While continuing to operate under the Arnold Direct moniker, the agency's Boston office will report to Brann's headquarters in Wilton, CT.
Boasting 5,500 employees in 16 offices, Brann has clients such as Pizza Hut Inc., Visa International, ExxonMobil, Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Bank of America.
Concurrent with this change, Arnold Public Relations will become a subsidiary of Magnet Communications. It will retain its name, however.
Both changes in reporting structure are intended to strengthen Havas' offerings in those areas. Arnold Public Relations' financial and consumer marketing forte will benefit from Magnet's technology offerings. And Arnold Direct will bring more CRM experience to Brann.
Havas is the world's fifth-largest agency holding company. Its ongoing restructuring is expected to save $120 million over the next two years.
