Saatchi & Saatchi to drop ‘Advertising’ tag

Saatchi & Saatchi is to drop the word ‘advertising’ from its name in an effort to become known as a marketing and communications business.

Saatchi & Saatchi is to drop the word ‘advertising’ from its name in an effort to become known as a marketing and communications business.

This week Kevin Roberts, chief executive of Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide, the agency’s parent company, announced that Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising would simply be known as Saatchi & Saatchi.

Roberts says the name change is a reflection of the way the Saatchi brand will stand for communication ideas, not solely advertising.

He says: “Advertising agencies are not getting in front of enough chief executives anymore. They are only talking to management consultants or accountants. That’s got to stop. The way to reach them is not to say we’ve got a great ad, we’ve got to say we have a great idea that will change the way we do business. An ad can be part of that.”

Roberts adds that it was the right time to make the change after last week’s demerger from Cordiant.

Yesterday (Tuesday) the agency launched what it bills as an annual award, called the Saatchi & Saatchi Award for Innovation in Commun-ication. The award will go to the most innovative commun-ication idea. The winner receives a prize of 32,000 in cash and a further 32,000 of free Saatchi & Saatchi consultancy advice. Judges include astronaut Buzz Aldrin and conceptual artist Laurie Anderson.

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