Project Worldwide
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Advertising and marketing |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Robert G. Vallee, Jr. Chairman and CEO |
| Website | project |
Project Worldwide, sometimes simplified as Project, is a privately held Auburn Hills, Michigan-based advertising holding company. Founded in 2010, the company owns 13 agencies, including George P. Johnson and Partners & Napier, through an employee stock ownership structure.
Robert G. Vallee Jr. is the company's Chairman and CEO.
History
[edit]Project Worldwide was founded in 2010 by Robert G. Vallee, Jr., then Chairman and CEO of George P. Johnson, an event and brand marketing firm based in Auburn Hills, Michigan.[1] George P. Johnson, which traces its history back to 1914, managed several agencies it had previously acquired, including California-based agency Juxt, Australian agency Spinifex Group and Germany's Raumtechnik.[2] The company's executives formed Project Worldwide as a holding company, to include George P. Johnson, and the company was structured so that its employees would own 100% of the company through an employee stock-ownership plan (ESOP).[3]
In 2011, the company acquired Rochester, NY-based agency Partners & Napier.[4]
In November 2012, the company acquired Denver, Colorado-based full service agency Motive.[5]
In March 2013, Project funded the launch of Argonaut, an advertising agency based in San Francisco, which became one of Project's agencies.[6] In May, the company launched shopper marketing firm Shoptology.[7]
In August 2016, Project acquired Brooklyn-based public relations agency Praytell.[8] In October, the company acquired NY City-based digital creative agency Wondersauce.[9]
In March 2017, the company launched Project Pledge, a matching program for employee donations to charitable causes.[10] In October, Project acquired Melbourne, Australia-based consumer engagement agency Dig+Fish.[11]
In December 2018, Project acquired Auckland, New Zealand-based experiential agency Darkhorse.[12]
In October 2019, the company merged its Los Angeles-based agency Pitch into its Denver-based agency Motive.[13]
In March 2021, Project acquired gaming and Gen-Z culture agency OS Studios [14]
References
[edit]- ^ "A Silicon Valley for Ad Agencies, Only in the Mountains". The NY Times. 2013-08-22. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
- ^ "Project Worldwide Acquires New York Social-Media Agency". AdAge. 2012-06-06. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
- ^ "George P. Johnson Co". Crain's Detroit. 2013-07-14. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
- ^ "Agreeing to Be Bought, but Keeping Autonomy". The NY Times. 2011-03-16. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
- ^ "Project Worldwide Adds Another Shop to Its Growing Network". AdAge. 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
- ^ "San Francisco's Thriving Agency Start-Up Scene". The NY Times. 2013-03-05. Retrieved 2019-12-17.
- ^ "Project Worldwide Expands With Launch of Shopper Marketing Agency". AdAge. 2013-05-30. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
- ^ "Project acquires Brooklyn-based PR firm Praytell". PR Week. 2016-08-16. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
- ^ "George P. Johnson Co". The Drum. 2016-10-04. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
- ^ "Why One Agency Network Is Pledging to Donate Up to $1 Million Each Year to Nonprofits". AdWeek. 2017-03-12. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
- ^ "Project Worldwide adds Melbourne engagement agency Dig+Fish to its indie agency roster". The Drum. 2017-10-04. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
- ^ "Project WW Buys Darkhorse". Media Post. 2018-12-04. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
- ^ "Project Worldwide Sunsets Los Angeles Agency Pitch, Parts With Co-CEOs". Ad Week. 2019-10-16. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
- ^ "Advertising company Project Worldwide just acquired a specialty agency to help clients like Pepsi capitalize on the red-hot gaming business". Business Insider. 2021-03-18. Retrieved 2024-05-10.