Aegis iProspect Division Buys Stake in Adsit

Aegis Media accelerates digital performance in China

iProspect and Adsit form JV to be known as iProspect China

Beijing, 25 July, 2012: Aegis Group plc today announced it has entered into a majority stake joint venture with Chinese technology and digital marketing company, Beijing Adsit Technology Co., Ltd (“Adsit”). The JV will be known as iProspect China.  

By integrating all of the performance marketing capabilities of Adsit into Aegis Media’s existing iProspect network, Aegis Media China will accelerate its place in the fast-growing digital performance marketing segment.  With a team of 60 and offices in Shanghai and Beijing, the combined assets of the two companies will ensure that iProspect China strengthens its position in the Chinese market.

Adsit will provide access to its e-commerce platform, its data pool, plus key people, enabling iProspect China to become a fully integrated, performance marketing agency.  Services will include search, display performance and ecommerce specialisation in order to service the fastest growing sector of marketing in China, as well as the existing Aegis Media client base.

Cindy Xue, currently COO of Adsit, will be appointed CEO iProspect China, ensuring that the excellence Adsit displays through technology platforms and eCommerce marketing will permeate throughout iProspect China.

Nick Waters, CEO Aegis Media Asia Pacific said, “The combination of scale in both search and digital performance marketing will place iProspect China in a strong position and well ahead of our peer group of multinational competitors who have not yet addressed the explosive growth of ecommerce in the market.”

George Tuan, CEO Adsit Media added, “We strongly believe that iProspect China, powered by our technology, will drive high quality data and performance services for our clients and bring more precision to digital communication in China.  Adsit is very excited to partner with Aegis which is the leading global marketing and communication group to bring together local technology solutions and international marketing communications.”
Ruth Stubbs, CEO iProspect Asia Pacific said, “Over the past 24 months we have worked with Adsit to roll out our customised measurement and optimisation tools. During this time we have established a collaborative partnership, a shared agenda to develop digital measurement and a collective expertise in Search driven eCommerce in China. As our partner we not only considered the benefits of scale, talent and tools, we also tackled the longer-term prospects of our Search/Performance marketing business in a market as opportunistic as China.”

KF Lee, CEO Aegis Media Greater China believes the JV aligns with iProspect’s global direction of integrated technology solutions driving performance for our clients.  “Integrating all performance marketing activities under a single unit branded iProspect China will allow us to develop a true expertise in search-driven ecommerce where the un-tapped market will quickly exceed that of search alone,” she said.

About Aegis Group plc
Aegis Group plc is the world’s leading focused media and digital communications group. Made up of two operating businesses, Aegis Media (Carat, Vizeum, Posterscope, Isobar and iProspect) and Aztec, the scan-based market and consumer insights company, Aegis Group helps clients build consumer relationships by communicating their products and brands effectively. Our services include communications strategy through digital creative execution, media planning and buying, brand tracking and marketing analytics.  Aegis Group plc shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange (AEGS.L).

About iProspect
iProspect is a leading global digital performance agency. The company helps many of the world’s most successful brands maximize their online marketing ROI through paid search, social media strategy, search engine optimization, display media, comparison shopping engines, conversion optimization, mobile marketing and attribution modeling and management, research, and other related services. The agency is part of Aegis Media http://www.iprospect.com.

About Adsit
Adsit was established in June 2006 and today, Adsit runs one of China’s largest online rich media advertising technology platforms. Adsit works with over 400 global brands, top 20 4A agencies as well as local and regional agencies to target over 350 million internet users in China through its rich media display ad network. Whilst the Adsit ad network was originally established to provide digital video and rich media ad serving exclusively to the Baidu affiliate network, this system, named Adman, services a much wider range of web site partners today.