Capital HQ for integrated comms outfit

EDIBURGH has been chosen as the HQ to one of the UK’s biggest organisations offering ‘integrated communications’, including public relations, direct marketing and creative advertising.

The Tangible Group is to have 13 separate divisions report to it, some based in London, and will be headed by the chief executives of Edinburgh-based Navigator Response and The Leith Agency: Andy Carolan and John Rowley, respectively. Carolan will be the chair; Rowley, the chief executive.

Navigator specialises in direct marketing, and The Leith Agency in advertising and they, like Tangible, are part of the AIM-listed Cello Group.

Tangible will include the following agencies: Tangible Communications (previously Navigator Responsive Advertising and Farm Communications direct marketing division), Tangible Response (previously Target Direct), Tangible Financial (previously cchm:ping),Tangible Data (previously Talking Numbers); Farm Communications, The Leith Agency, Blonde Digital, Brightsource, Magnetic, Stripe Communications, Leithal Thinking and The Practice.

It adds up to some 330 staff. Each division will retain their existing management board structure. Navigator is changing its name to Tangible Communications but The Leith Agency, Stripe, Blonde will all keep their names.

Says Carolan: “As a business, the Group gives us increased financial strength and greater scale and scope to compete aggressively in the UK market, whilst also providing our people with increased resources, training and wider career opportunities. For our clients, Tangible Group means access to some of the UK’s brightest planners and creative teams, as well as the ability to tap into new sector specialisms and a strengthened national network.”

Adds Rowley: “We felt that there was a real opportunity to establish a UK agency group without a pre-set agenda. With planning as our lead discipline, the client’s challenge sits at the heart of everything we do, allowing us to offer them total media objectivity, regardless of the agency discipline.”