Walker Media rebrands as Blue 449 following Publicis acquisition
Walker Media has rebranded as Blue 449 following its acquisition by Publicis Groupe in 2014.
The company will now serve as the lead agency of a new global media network and will be part of the ZenithOptmedia Group.
The team will be staffed from both the former Walker Media and ZenithOptimedia Group, and Blue 449’s global hubs, of which there will be 17 by the end of the year, will be formed by start-ups.
“The world doesn’t need yet another global media agency network,” said Steve King, CEO, worldwide, ZenithOptimedia Group. “What it needs is a new force of energy for clients looking to break with traditions. Blue 449 is a realisation of visionary attitudes and thinking set to disrupt the market.”
The new network will benefit from the expertise and industry leadership of Walker Media together with access to the extensive Publicis Groupe network worldwide in a new framework for clients named ‘Open Source’. Collaborative Open Source behaviours will also inform Blue 449’s relationships with third parties and their planning processes, as they respond to the new digital economy.
The Blue 449 name references the colour wavelength between the ‘purple’ brand of Walker Media and ‘blue’ of ZenithOptimedia.
All existing Walker Media clients will now be Blue 449 clients.