Creative agencies have been known to be slow on the uptake of technology with media agencies embarking digital and data quickly.

That has now changed with multiple creative agencies building their digital offering. TBWA\RAAD, for example, has its own data department and manages digital and social for clients including Nissan. In fact, the agency’s CEO, Reda Raad, even said in a recent interview with Communicate, “Data leads our insights, sparks our creativity and validates and optimizes everything we produce so how could we create without data?”

Now, Ogilvy is the latest to launch its tech offering. Just recently, its sister agency Geometry Dubai launched “eCommerce Accelerator: a programme to help brands develop fast-track plans and optimize their eCommerce presence for rapid sales uplift and increased ROI.”

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The new offering sees a dedicated Memac Ogilvy team launched in the region, integrating the agency’s martech capabilities into one expert technology hub

As part of Ogilvy’s Next Chapter strategy, integrating all Ogilvy offerings under a single P&L, the Center of Excellence (COE) provides offices and clients with a skilled and competitive hub model.

The move is aimed at demonstrating Ogilvy’s knowledge and capabilities in deep technology, a focus area for the company as it sets its sights on becoming the world’s leading digital agency.

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“We’ve steadily grown our capabilities in the area of deep digital in recent years, in line with Next Chapter,” says Patou Nuytemans, CEO, Memac Ogilvy, Chief Digital Officer, Ogilvy EMEA, in a statement. “In order for clients to become truly digital, they require partners with not only strategic and creative digital skills, but also deep expertise in technology. That’s what the Center of Excellence is all about. We are thrilled to be able to offer it here in the MENA region, where clients are increasingly showing great desire to innovate and transform digitally.”

More than 900 employees from around the world including a Middle-East based team make up the COE, and are trained in leading technology platforms such as Adobe, Salesforce, Oracle, Sitecore, Acquia/Drupal, Marketo, IBM, iOS, Android, and more.

Ogilvy’s worldwide chief delivery officer, Gunther Schumacher, who led the development of the COE, adds, “One of the biggest challenges in today’s world is marketers that invest in technology but don’t have enough understanding of how to transform the way they work within their new environment. So that’s our sweet spot. We send people in, that can drive those technology platforms for you, with your teams, and make them work for you.”

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The agency is keen that the COE is not seen as a software company, but more of a marketing services company that helps brands make the right technology investments, and make the most of those investments. It falls in line with Ogilvy’s technology strategy, with a specific focus on platform and enabling tools, while driving integration and growth of its technology studios around the world.

“The Center of Excellence is all about delivering meaningful experiences through data and technology. Today, our goal is to make brands matter by utilizing the very best of available technology platforms, with the experience and expertise internally to create efficient and exciting solutions to our clients’ problems,” Nuytemans adds.