Poster group unveils experiential arm – Spank

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Kinetic, the new business created by the merger of poster buying specialists Poster Publicity and Portland Outdoor, has launched an experiential division, called Spank.

Spank, which is wholly owned by Kinetic, is already working with clients, including British Airways. It is also pursuing briefs with six other brands, thought to be existing Kinetic clients, including yachting event Cowes Week.

Craig Leiper, head of Poster Publicity’s ambient media arm Tranzformer, will lead the division. Creative strategic director Tina Malcolm has been brought in from Nike, where she orchestrated a free youth football tournament at London’s Millennium Dome, and Sam Stone has been poached from independent rival Chaos. Paul Parashar, a former PHD broadcast director, will act as a link between Kinetic, its client base and Spank.

Parashar says: “Clients are getting braver and are looking for new opportunities to connect with their customers, such as sponsorship, digital and experiential marketing.”

The merger between Poster Publicity and WPP Group-owned Portland Outdoor took place last Thursday after receiving unconditional clearance from the Office of Fair Trading (MW May 19). Poster Publicity chief executive Eric Newnham has been appointed global chief executive of the new company.

MediaCom is expected to move its business from Posterscope to Kinetic following the integration of Grey Global and WPP. Unilever is also believed to be considering moving its poster buying account from Concord to Kinetic, after awarding its media business to WPP-owned MindShare last year.

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