STW and Smollan Link for Fieldwork in Aus and NZ

Marketing group STW Communications has formed a joint venture with field marketing specialist Smollan Group to conduct mystery shopping and customer auditing activities in Australia and New Zealand.

Founded in 1931 and based in Johannesburg, South Africa, the Smollan Group has more than 18,000 employees in South Africa, China, India, Malaysia and the UK. Marcoms giant WPP Group holds a 33% stake in the company.

In March, the firm - which provides field marketing, market intelligence, customer contact and brand activation services - formed a joint venture with Kenya-based marketing firm Scangroup to serve the East Africa region of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.

Chairman Doug Smollan said the firm is looking forward to the prospect of entering a new market with STW's established services and client list.

'We feel a strong cultural fit with STW, and see Australia and New Zealand as markets with big growth opportunity,' Smollan stated. 'Our experience and intellectual capital in people and technology solutions, combined with STW's local relationships, provide enormous leverage.'

Web sites: www.stwgroup.com.au and www.smollan.co.za .