Omnicom Opens Trend Spotting Agency in NYC

Marketing services group Omnicom has opened a new agency called sparks & honey, in New York City, to identify emerging trends in popular culture.

Omnicom says its new agency has been set up to 'disrupt the traditional models' by which market research, creative development and media distribution are executed. Through its 'Wave Branding' platform, sparks & honey will use data analysis, machine learning systems, and real-time engagement engines to identify emerging cultural trends.

The agency has been founded by Terry Young, who most recently served as President of multichannel marketing services firm Purple@Epsilon. Prior to this, he was MD of the New York office of marketing agency RAPP, and a Consultant at McKinsey & Co. Earlier, he served in the US Peace Corps in Kazakhstan, and launched and managed the IPG digital agency SixtyFootSpider.

In his new role, Young is supported by a core team of eight, including specialists in cultural strategy, futurology, behavioral science, creative technology and content, working in what he describes as a 'data visualization hub'.

This team will also work with a number of partners to assess sources of information such as social media channels, search information and networks of online influencers.

Young comments: 'I wanted to build an organization that leverages the vast amounts of data, the oil of the information age, and uses that information to create real-time, culturally relevant creative experiences for brands. In today's dynamic landscape, brands will be built by connecting to emerging cultural waves and being part of authentic, meaningful cultural conversations.'

sparks & honey will function as an independent business within Omnicom's Diversified Agency Services (DAS) division.

Web sites: www.omnicomgroup.com and www.sparksandhoney.com .