Travel and adventure retailer Kathmandu has a new agency for digital media across search, social and display, appointing Dentsu Aegis Network’s Columbus, a Merkle Company.
Columbus, a Merkle Company replaces Group M’s Connect following a competitive pitch.

Kathmandu and Columbus will create data-driven marketing campaigns
The agency will work with the brand to develop and enhance data-driven marketing campaigns to attempt to fulfil Kathmandu’s brand promise of ‘inspiring adventure in everyone’.
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Kathmandu’s group marketing manager John Sette said Columbus, a Merkle company was the best parter to help the brand evolve its marketing.
“We are delighted to partner with Columbus’ Australia and New Zealand-based teams,” he said. “We were impressed with the strategic thought leadership and data-driven insights that Columbus brought to the pitch, and their values of collaboration, innovation and partnership and are a great fit with our own. We believe they are the best partner to help us engage with our customers globally.”
Mitchell McBeath, Columbus’ managing director, said the Kathmandu account was an outstanding win for the company.
“Our team is really excited about the opportunity to work with such an iconic brand to manage their performance media backed by data and insights. We look forward to creating a true partnership with Kathmandu, and helping them push the boundaries to achieve their business goals.”
Merkle’s is Dentsu Aegis Network’s “people-based marketing agency”, which had a soft launch in Australia last year when DAN acquired B2B digital media and marketing agency DWA.
DWA has nine offices globally, including one in Sydney, and became DWA, a Merkle Company.
In March, Dentsu Aegis Network then ‘officially’ launched Merkle in Australia, with data-driven performance marketing agency, Columbus, being rebranded as Columbus, a Merkle Company.
In August, Merkle acquired marketing technology company Amicus Digital.