Digitas is an integrated advertising agency and a member of the Publicis Groupe. The company currently has over 3,000 employees [1] in 32 offices in 19 countries.[2] Digitas also owns The Third Act: (a brand content platform), Digitas Health, (healthcare marketing), Prodigious Worldwide (global digital productions company) and Solutions | Digitas. Other sister agencies include: Starcom MediaVest, ZenithOptimedia, Denuo, and Razorfish, all of which are members of Publicis Groupe's VivaKi.[3] The company is based in Boston.
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Digitas was originally founded in 1980 as Bronner Slosberg Humphrey Inc. (BSH), a company that grew to become one of the leading traditional direct marketing agencies in the United States.[4] In 1995, BSH spun off a subsidiary, the Strategic Interactive Group, to expand into digital marketing. In 1999, these two agencies were combined to form Bronner.com, and shortly thereafter renamed to Digitas. “Direct marketing had accountability, but not mass reach,” said Laura Lang, in an interview with Promo Magazine. “The emerging digital space was not disciplined the way DM was, but my God, it had reach. Each one needed the other.”[5]
In January 2007, Publicis Groupe purchased Digitas for $1.3 billion.[6] The acquisition took Digitas from being a predominantly U.S. company to a global firm, expanding into areas such as China,[7] France,[8] India,[9] Singapore,[10] Brazil,[11] Sweden,[12] and Australia.[13]
In 2008, Digitas Greater China launched a digital campaign for Blackmores Power Bottles, bottles with personalized color-coded meters chosen by consumers to reflect their top three health concerns. Each health concern on the bottle has its own blooming flower. The campaign’s web site allows users to create log-ins, find their friends on the site, and offer them virtual “health boosts” – a way for users to connect with one another and offer support for each other’s health concerns.[14] In October 2009, the campaign advanced to the final stages of the China Internet Advertising Contest.[15]
In 2009, Digitas launched an augmented reality campaign for Procter & Gamble’s fem care brand, Always Infinity.[16] The augmented reality technology allowed consumers to create interactive 3D images using webcams and a printed symbol. Consumers downloaded the ad, printed it out, held it up to their webcams, and watched a white rabbit pop out of a magician’s hat.[17]
In 2010, Digitas and Buick created MomentOfTruth.com, a website where consumers can view, share and post their opinions and reactions to Buick's newest car, the 2011 Regal. The website aggregates real-time social media and blogosphere commentary for all mentions of the Regal, pulling content from YouTube videos, Flickr photos, comments from Buick's Regal tab on Facebook, and Twitter, automotive reviews, consumer blogs and more.[18]
In 2011, Digitas released its own "It Gets Better" video, with LGBT employees discussing their own experiences and what they would tell other teenagers in their place.[19]
Digitas’ healthcare focused brand, Digitas Health has also become well known for creating campaigns that draw on user-generated content. In 2009, the agency won a gold Webby award for its work on the Leading Ladies Perspectives campaign, created for AstraZeneca’s breast cancer drug, Arimidex.[20] The campaign featured a video-based web site where real women who were diagnosed with breast cancer could submit their stories about coping with breast cancer, with videos on everything from dealing with treatment to breaking the news to your kids.[21]
Digitas executive leadership is frequently featured in the press. CEO Laura Lang made BtoB Magazine’s list of Who’s Who in both 2008[23] and 2009.[24] Digitas Chief Creative Officer Mark Beeching was named an Agency Innovator by The Internationalist in 2010.[25] CMO Seth Solomons discussed marketing in an economic downturn with DM News,[26] and Marketing News (the American Marketing Association’s newsletter) identified Tony Weisman as a “renaissance marketer”.[27]
In 2008, Digitas and its brand content entity, The Third Act:, launched its first annual Digital Content NewFront, an event meant to explore and help evolve the brand content and distribution landscape. In 2009, the conference’s keynote speaker was former Vice President Al Gore, who spoke about sustainability in the future of advertising.[28] The 2010 event keynote featured Martha Stewart, Arianna Huffington, and Kara Swisher.[29] The 2011 event featured a keynote with Philip J. Crowley,[30] former Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the State Department and Amr Salama, an Egyptian filmmaker and blogger.[31], in addition to a talk with Ashton Kutcher [32]
In 2008, Digitas also launched its first annual edition of The Film Preditors: A Dating Game at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. The event used a dating game format to match brands with potential content creators. In 2009, it gave Subway’s brand director, Jeff Larson, the chance to “date” content creators such as Justine Bateman (actress from Family Ties and co-founder of FM78.tv) and Deepak Havar (producer of Bend It Like Beckham and founder of Filmaka).[33] The Digitas 2010 Cannes Lions event focused on brand content as well, but took a new direction by asking panelists to debate "cage fight" style on brand integration versus brand content.[34] The Digitas 2011 event focused on how brands can revitalize the music industry. [35]