After a formal review, global customer experience-marketing agency, and the digital and direct marketing arm of Interpublic's McCann Worldgroup, MRM//McCann, announced late last week that Cisco Systems had chosen them as their global demand generation agency-of-record. Previously Cisco didn't employ an AOR shop for global demand generation, so there is no incumbent to speak of.
The engagement will be led globally out of MRM///McCann's Salt Lake City office, the network's global B2B “Centre of excellence.”
Cisco will be employing the breadth of experience that MRM//McCann have gathered in the world of business to business marketing solutions, to expand on the brand's targeted marketing around the globe, driving further awareness and interest in the company, which is one of the largest networking equipment companies in the world, with a reported revenue for the 2013 fiscal year of $48.6 billion. The engagement will be led globally out of MRM///McCann's Salt Lake City office, but the agency's San Francisco, London, Singapore, Beijing and Buenos Aires offices will also be servicing the account.
MRM//McCann's CEO, Michael McLaren, said that "Cisco is the pre-eminent worldwide leader in networking and is as committed as ever to its belief that 'connecting the unconnected' will fundamentally transform the way the world works, lives, plays and learns.” He is “Thrilled to be part of educating and engaging customers about the story, solutions and services" of a company that's been a “Powerhouse in every category in which they have competed.” and is a “World class brand and marketer.” Lori Feld, the agency's president and the global executive lead on the Cisco account, says that they share the company's ambition “To get the right information at the right time to the right device to the right person to make the right decision.” In other words, they are eager to put information into the hand of “Businesses with the need and aspiration to navigate the ever-connected world."
Joseph Puthussery, Cisco's vice president of marketing, says MRM//McCann were brought on board because they “Brought the most inventive ideas to the process, and genuinely understand the role Cisco plays in bringing powerful connections to the world.”
Laura Fay, vice president of integrated marketing and communications at Cisco, is “Tremendously excited to partner with MRM//McCann,” to elevate their content and creative as they, “Strive to better drive marketing initiatives.” She believes that MRM//McCann have “Demonstrated understanding of the industry,” and praised their “Customer-centric approach to marketing,” which she feels will be key in “Delivering breakthrough creative and messaging that resonates with (Cisco's) most meaningful audiences." Joseph Puthussery, meanwhile, Cisco's vice president of marketing, says the agency were chosen because they “Brought the most inventive ideas to the process, and genuinely understand the role Cisco plays in bringing powerful connections to the world.”
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and musician from Kidderminster in the UK who once took a Cisco Systems course at sixth form. Needless to say, he wasn't a natural.
