Havas has acquired U.K.-based global B2B marketing agency Ledger Bennett, enhancing its capabilities in the high growth B2B space both in the U.K. and internationally. Ledger Bennett will now be branded as “Ledger Bennett, a Havas Company” and join the organization under Havas Media Network. Founded in 1985 by Nicholas Ledger, Ledger Bennett now operates in EMEA, APAC and North America, servicing clients across industrial, tech and services within B2B, including GE Digital and LinkedIn. Since Andrea Glenn took the role of CEO in 2022, Ledger Bennett has grown its revenue by 50% following wins such as Expleo, Aptean and Indeed. Under her stewardship, B2B Marketing Awards recognized Ledger Bennett as the fifth fastest growing B2B agency in the U.S. in 2023. The acquisition is Havas’ latest step to diversify its service offering so that it can better support its clients’ growing digital and data requirements as they transition to be more customer-led. Over the last two years, Havas has acquired Search Laboratory, additive+ and Expert Edge (now Havas Market UK) to bolster capabilities in performance marketing, dynamic creative and content services and commerce. Havas also brought global creative cultural partnerships and activations agency Havas Play to the UK in 2023 and most recently Havas Media Network’s audience and data platform, Converged, as agencies rush to put in place cookieless cross-platform planning-to-activation solutions. Ledger Bennett’s fully integrated offering also complements the B2B offerings from fellow Havas Village London agencies H/Advisors Maitland and Gate One, in addition to those within Havas Media Network. Ledger Bennett will also look to unlock the latent potential of existing Havas Village capabilities for B2B purposes, such as CX and ecommerce. In 2022, Havas Media Network UK launched a dedicated B2B division, Havas Business, to formally kick start its B2B journey and currently works with the likes of 3M, JDE Professional and Maersk for which Havas Business won the Grand Prix at WARC B2B effectiveness for two consecutive years. Havas Business will merge under Ledger Bennett, forming a 100+-person strong B2B specialism within Havas Media Network. Ledger Bennett’s London-based staff will move to Havas Village London next month where the agency will be headed by CEO Glenn who’ll report into Patrick Affleck, CEO, Havas Media Network U.K. and Ireland….
Funny and Feminist Fashion Advances The Storytelling In “Palm Royale”
When Kristen Wiig steps out of a vintage Rolls-Royce in the opening scene of Season 2 of "Palm Royale," she's sporting a tall, yellow, fringed hat, gold platform sandals and sunny bell bottoms, with fabric petals that sway with every determined step. It's the first clue that the costumes on the female-driven comedy are taking center stage. The Apple TV show made a splash in its first season with the starry cast, high production values and ubiquitous grasshopper cocktail. Wiig's character, Maxine, tries to break into Palm Beach high society in 1969 and bumps heads with co-stars Carol Burnett, Allison Janney, Leslie Bibb and Laura Dern. But also playing a starring role are the vintage designer frocks that reflect each character. For Season 2, which premiered this week, Emmy-winning costume designer Alix Friedberg says she and her team coordinated "thousands" of looks that reflect the characters' jet-setting style. She says 50-60% of the brightly colored and graphic print costumes are original vintage designer pieces, sourced by shoppers and costume designers. "The looks are so iconic. Sometimes Kristen will walk in in something, and it brings tears to my eyes," Kaia Gerber — who plays Mitzi — said in a recent interview. The creative process entails more than shopping If not original vintage, Friedberg's team builds the costumes, and if a character has to wear an outfit in multiple scenes or in big dance numbers, the team may create duplicates to preserve continuity. Friedberg says she was lucky to find so many vendors with vintage designer pieces in great condition. "(Bibb's character) Dinah wears a few original Oscar de la Renta pieces that are really so perfect. Bill Blass was a big one, Oleg Cassini," Friedberg says. "There's a... Read More