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Digital

GroupM and Quasar to form consolidated digital agency network

The consolidated agency network or GroupM Interaction will now include Quasar BMS, Blazar and the interactive arms of GroupM.

GroupM and Quasar - the interactive agency owned by WPP and Smile Interactive Technology Group (SITG) - have joined hands to build an integrated digital media agency network.

As per the development, Quasar will align its unit, Quasar BMS (Brand and Media Solutions), and its second digital agency, Blazar, under GroupM Interaction's management to build a consolidated agency network or GroupM Interaction, which will now include Quasar BMS and Blazar and the interactive arms of GroupM (Mindshare Interaction, Motivator, Maxus Interaction and MEC Interaction).

GroupM and Quasar to form consolidated digital agency network
The consolidated digital agency network will be headed by Tushar Vyas, managing partner, South Asia, GroupM.

Henceforth, the heads of Quasar BMS and Blazar will report to Vyas. They will also report to an operating board to be set up soon by constituting senior officials from both Quasar and GroupM. However, both Quasar BMS and Blazar will continue to run independently.

For the record, Quasar has three broad divisions - Brand and Media Solutions (BMS), Technology and Web Solutions (TWS) and International Business Group (IBG).While BMS provides digital marketing solutions to clients, TWS offers digital and web solutions and includes services such as creation of corporate websites, setting up of online dealer management systems and development of Facebook applications and widgets. IBG handles digital production outsourcing and focusses on international clients.

In a related development, WPP Digital announced the launch of a global interactive marketing agency called Possible Worldwide last week. Possible Worldwide is formed with the combination of WPP owned digital agencies Schematic, Bridge Worldwide, Blue and Quasar's TWS. Harish Bahl, co-founder, Quasar, has been appointed chief production officer of Possible Worldwide.

Quasar IBG has been re-christened as Quasar Primo and will continue to focus on creative and technology development for international clients, in partnership with clients and different networks of WPP.

In an official communiqué, Bahl says, "It's a move to consolidate India's best talent and capabilities under one leadership in order to give the best of innovations and service to our clients. Opportunities in digital advertising are evolving at a very fast pace and we believe that a more collaborative approach will be the key to capitalize on these opportunities for us and our clients."

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