Habari Firms Combine for New Digital Agency

In South Africa, Adrian Hewlett, the CEO and founder of media and marketing business Habari has combined the group's below-the-line (BTL), market research, digital, and social media businesses to launch a new integrated ad agency called Machine.

As part of the restructure, Hewlett has spun off the group's Habari Media brand. The four Habari marketing companies brought together under the Machine umbrella are online market research and insights arm Answered; incentive and activation business Creature; full service above-the-line ad agency Big Wednesday; and digital agency Domino.

Taking the role of CEO of Machine, Hewlett plans to reposition his firm as a more integrated agency with a key digital competency. A new senior client services team will oversee the various specialist units - such as research, digital, and BTL - and work across channels, with specialist project teams below them.

Machine now has a combined staff of 80 and revenue of R45 million, and operates from offices in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Nairobi.

Web sites: www.machineagency.co.za and www.habarimedia.com .