Media Buying Briefing: How Horizon and Havas' JV aims to distinguish itself in a 'red ocean'

"The under-the-radar joint venture between America's largest independent media agency Horizon Media and French-owned holding company Havas to create Horizon Global is seemingly well underway, involved in multiple pitches for businesses with a strong U.S. base and international aspirations and visiting the pitch consultants to make sure it's part of the consideration set."

"As Bob Lord, Horizon Media's president and interim CEO of Horizon Global explained, it's structured as a 50/50 commercial joint venture with a single P&L between Havas and Horizon. "We activate the Horizon U.S. operation with the Havas international operation," said Lord. "So as we get client revenue in, that revenue goes through the P&L and at the end Horizon and Havas split it 50/50 for the profits.""

"Horizon Global has even been codified as its own entity - separate from Horizon and Havas on their own - by third-party vendor Comvergence, which independently tracks agency wins and losses. And though it hasn't yet won any standalone accounts, it's helping existing clients of both agencies to expand where needed, said Lord, whose counterpart on the Havas side is Renata Spackova, Havas' global COO of new core business. They both report to Horizon founder and chairman/CEO Bill Koenigsberg and Havas Media CEO Peter Mears."

Horizon Media and Havas created Horizon Global, a 50/50 commercial joint venture with a single P&L to pursue U.S.-based clients with international ambitions. Horizon Global engages in multiple pitches and meets pitch consultants to secure consideration for clients seeking cross-border expansion. The JV has been registered as its own entity in Comvergence tracking and currently supports existing clients of both agencies to expand internationally, including facilitating a U.S. client’s expansion into Mexico. Leadership includes Bob Lord as interim CEO of Horizon Global and Renata Spackova as Havas counterpart; both report to Bill Koenigsberg and Peter Mears. The JV has not yet won standalone accounts.

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