Tempus buys stake in US agency Kokopelli

Tempus Group, the media buying agency which owns CIA Medianetwork, has further extended its new media interests by acquiring a stake in New York agency Kokopelli.

The three-year-old interactive shop handles accounts including drugs giant Merck & Co, WW Grainger, Reader’s Digest and the VH1 cable channel. Tempus takes a 25 per cent stake in the business through its new media holding company Outrider.

Outrider chief executive Rob Norman says the agency can expect to benefit from synergies with Tempus’ recently established “traditional” North American media buying network CIAVSM, and

Oregon-based Internet marketing specialist Multimedia Marketing Group.

The deal is the first of several planned over the next few months aimed at developing Tempus’ new media activities in key markets, says Norman.

“We are not looking at Kokopelli for any cutting-edge use of Internet technology, but rather for good business solutions for big clients,” he adds.

“The arrangement with Koko-pelli New Media will enable Tempus Group’s existing European new media companies to offer services to their US clients if needed.”

Tempus already holds investments in new media agencies in Sweden, Germany, Spain, and the UK.