Company in Focus: Belong Group

In June 2007, two of Photon Group's high-profile companies, SEE and Legion, merged to create a new communications powerhouse called Belong.

Marking the first merger of an integrated brand communications agency with a personalised communications and technology company, Belong is a clear indicator of Photon Group's view on the future of marketing services in Australia.

Launched through an ambitious display of integrated and personalised communication devices in June 2007, the 130-person, three-city Belong wasted no time in setting its agenda. It warned that 'as the market rushes to claim overnight digital expertise, brands are being damaged by heavy handed, technically illiterate ad agencies in their last gasp death rolls'.

'What the marketing industry needs is for a credible player to make sense of brands in this new age – not merely unleash poorly understood digital tools as a last minute bolt on,' says Belong Executive Creative Chairman, Simon Hammond.

'Brands need proactive leadership to navigate these new frontiers and that leadership will best come from combining insight-led brand experts with proven digital marketing and technology specialists.'

Hammond, who has previously built three agencies and is an outspoken "outsider" to the ad industry, is also the author of acclaimed branding book, BE Brands.

'In our view, this is the first merger of brand and digital marketing specialists and will, in its purest form, create "brand communities" that people desire to belong to.

'Right now, businesses and their brands can be damaged by over-zealous ad agencies masquerading as digital and new media experts attempting to use powerful new personalised communication methods without properly understanding the emotive consumer needs of such channels.'

According to Belong's CEO, Duncan Murray, the number of communication channels in the digital age which companies can use to communicate with consumers is growing exponentially.

This is presenting great challenges for both technology companies and agencies. 'People are responding to substance and beliefs from brands. These beliefs are best discovered, not rammed down channels where they're simply not welcome. The days of media invasion are over.'

'Belong is purpose-built to help companies use the right medium at the right time in the right way. Through SEE we understand how to lead brands or link to existing brand strategies. With Legion we can ensure the right digital solutions are matched to the best use of SEE's mass marketing methods'.

No company in Australia will be able to provide its customers with as many answers on this front as Belong.

'The rationale is very simple – put SEE's strategic and creative ability with Legion's innovative technical strengths and the result will be very powerful.'

'Legion led the market in delivering and interpreting the very latest in new technology marketing, having pioneered interactive television, mobile phone marketing and interactive promotions. We are as good as anyone in the world at knowing how and why to create highly personalised, interactive two-way communication.

'With SEE, we can help brands best take advantage of this experience. This is not the first time we have changed direction to create the next thing. Competitors will rush into the space we have just vacated to find that, once again, they have been left behind.'

Contact: info@belonggroup.com.au
Website: www.belonggroup.com.au