Here’s Yannick Bolloré talking in a Campaign video about the new Havas – which is merging creative and media – at the launch of his spanking new Havas Village HQ in London’s Kings Cross last week.
There appears to be an elephant in the room though: what Havas is doing is restoring full service (here disguised as a client-centric structure) although nobody seems to want to mention it. Curious.
Havas’ move has rung alarm bells at rival holding companies. Clients may like it of course but what’s worrying them most is that some clients will figure that now creative and media are under one roof they can start asking for media with creative thrown in free, or for not very much (or vice versa).
There’s a new building going up next door to the Havas Village which is to be occupied by Universal Music. UM is the jewel in the crown of Vivendi, run by Bolloré senior Vincent. That might get some of the other holding companies thinking too.
