Area 213 International is set to open an office in southwest London later this month as it fulfils the demands of a growing client-base in the United Kingdom. The office will join the branch in Cape Town, South Africa, broadening Area 213’s network.
Says Ben Wren, Managing Director and founder of Area 213: “The time is right to deploy dedicated personnel in London and it’s especially important as we try to communicate our vision of what a modern advertising company should be.
“By using full time staff and a network of freelancers around the globe, we remain committed to providing clients the best work at the best possible price. But we also understand the advantage of giving a brand one-on-one attention on the ground.”
Wren founded Area 213 in 2015 as an agile start-up for clients wanting results-driven work, irrespective of location. Now, with 70% of clients outside South Africa the agency has found its niche complementing agencies overseas and working with clients directly. Area 213 has clients in the UK, Belgium, USA and is targeting Australia as a potential growth market.
Wren’s experience of the London scene is vast, having worked at Euro RSCG London and Weiden+Kennedy before launching Aloha Advertising in Central London in 2002.
The industry, Wren says, has changed rapidly since then. “Global agencies are restricted by talent, location and uncompetitive cost structures. We built our business by finding a competitive advantage – primarily, great work at a very competitive cost. Our business model enables us to complement agencies by acting as an external resource and working with clients directly.”
Wren believes innovative thinking paired with competitive pricing makes Area 213 the perfect partner to agencies and clients. In the UK, he expects Area 213 to kick off with project work before diving into full-fledged campaigns, but knows it won’t be plain sailing. “The UK was hurt by outsourcing projects to India – we expect a learning curve where clients get to trust us.”
Trust is an important component of the process, and Wren has brought a management consultant on board to help clients make good business decisions. “The best ad in the world will fail if the product you’re selling is broken,” Wren says. “Too many ad agencies sell time without selling solutions.” Management consultancy is integral to savvy marketing, and for ad agencies to remain relevant, they need to do more than simply sell.
Area 213’s Editor-in-Chief Edward Love will be tasked with heading up the London office and offering clients and partner agencies dedicated service. “Small dedicated teams are the future,” says Love, “as it’s the surest way of delivering on time and keeping standards high.”
Both Wren and Love are excited to offer clients international innovation at a competitive price. “For brands wanting to make a splash, there are more avenues to explore than ever before,” says Wren. “The key is knowing how to do it.
“Ultimately, having Edward on the ground will make communicating those solutions easier.”
Visit Area 213 International at www.area213international.com or email ben@area213international.com for more.