iris to handle global integrated campaigns across sports marketing, retail and sales promotion

11 March 2008: Sony Ericsson has announced today that it has appointed integrated marketing agency iris to handle its global activation strategy, following a competitive pitch. As its global activation agency, iris will be responsible for implementing integrated campaigns across all of Sony Ericsson’s sports marketing properties, retail business and sales promotion work.

The appointment is part of Sony Ericsson’s move to increase integration across all of its marketing activity as well as drive efficiency and greater consumer engagement. With this is mind, iris will also provide strategic and creative leadership for Sony Ericsson’s $88m global title sponsorship of the Sony Ericsson Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour.

iris, an independent global network, has in recent months launched a Latin America operation to service the Sony Ericsson brand, with further expansion planned in key markets across the globe.

Dee Dutta, Corporate Vice President and Head of marketing for Sony Ericsson, said, “We’ve been working with iris for a number of years and on an increasingly global basis over the past twelve months. They have the necessary skills, talent and ambition to deliver truly integrated campaigns to help Sony Ericsson achieve our objective of becoming one of the top three players in our industry.”

Ian Millner, CEO and founder of iris said, “This is a brilliant sign of the health in our partnership, and the ability of our two businesses to challenge one another and to always be pushing hard to stay sharp. It is also symbolic of our progress as a global network”.

About Sony Ericsson
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications was established as a 50:50 joint venture by Sony and Ericsson in October 2001, with global corporate functions located in London. The company serves the worldwide communications market with innovative and feature-rich mobile phones, accessories and PC-cards, and it has R&D sites in Europe, Japan, China, India and America. Sony Ericsson is the title sponsor of the Women's Tennis Association, and works with the Association to promote the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in over 80 cities during the year.

About iris:
iris is an independent, integrated marketing agency working across all media and all disciplines.

Working with clients including Shell, Sony Ericsson, COI, ING, adidas and Coca Cola the agency is committed to ‘Media Anything, Idea Everything’ – a creative vision that encompasses iris’ interpretation of integrated marketing. iris provides true integration through its key divisions iris Digital, iris Direct, iris Experience, iris PR and iris Consulting.

iris prides itself on two key abilities; seeing the potential and exposing mediocrity. These two objectives have guided the agency’s work since conception, combined with a concerted effort to be the best agency their clients have ever worked with, and the only agency that truly talented people want to work for.

Established in 1999 by Ian Millner and Stewart Shanley, the iris group has shown considerable development in the last seven years, employing 400 people and growing by at least 50% year on year. It has been voted agency of the year by Marketing, Marketing Week, MCCA, ISP and is a Sunday Times Top 100 Fast track company with offices in London, Manchester, Singapore, Sydney, New York, LA, and New Delhi.