Edge agency joins independent Global Content Marketing Network
Edge has teamed up with three global powerhouses in the content marketing space to become a part of the Global Content Marketing Network.
The alliance puts the independent agency, which has offices in Sydney and Melbourne, alongside London’s Seven, Europe’s C3 and the United States’ Meredith Xcelerated Marketing (MXM), in a strategic alliance to provide global solutions for large clients.
Richard Parker, managing partner at Edge said the “strategic partnership” would open up opportunities for global reach as well as idea sharing.
“Basically we are sharing intelligence around common clients around approaches to different industry silos,” Parker said.
“It’s kind of a mutual learning thing. There’s obviously new business advantages with it in that we will help each other win new clients by leveraging the experience that each of the different agencies of the group have.”
Parker said of the agency’s decision to join the partnership: “The reason we’ve become a part of it is because it enables us to compete with network agencies a little bit more in that we have access to a global network. It gives us scale and reach that we didn’t have previously.”
Edge has become a part of the Global Content Marketing Network
Volkswagen is a mutual client of the network and will be one of the first brands to experience the benefits of the new alliance.
“What we’re doing is now talking to each other and thinking about how we can do some kind of central planning around it.”
However Parker said the focus would remain on Volkswagen as a local client.
“Our primary relationship is with our local client. What we are trying to do is learn from what is happening in our territories and trying to enrich the relationship we have,” he explained.
Volkswagen will be one of the first global brands to experience the benefits of the network
Parker told Mumbrella the partnership would also involve a lab in New York that will allow agencies to collaborate on ideas and drive innovation in the content marketing space.
“The lab is a joint piece that all of the network accesses and contributes to,” he said.
“It’s a lab that drives innovation within the content marketing space. We will be looking at new platforms, new technology as it helps drive the content agenda.”
The GCMN will also develop a staff exchange scheme, allowing employees from the alliance to switch agencies for short periods.
Parker said while the staff exchange is a great opportunity for employees, it will also have benefits for the business.
“From our viewpoint that just means we are constantly refreshing the thinking in the business. Those individuals are exposed to different cultures, different clients, different ways of doing things and are bringing all that back,” he said.
When asked about ownership, Parker said at this stage there is no cash changing hands within the partnership.
Commenting of the agency’s future Parker said there will be no change in structure as of yet.
He told Mumbrella: “I think what you’ll see is that we will be opening up more new business opportunities and bringing global best practice to the market.”
