Tag: XPO: The Mars Agency

Australia – XPO: The Mars Agency, the connected commerce company, has officially rebranded as Mars United Commerce to reflect its transformation into an enterprise-wide solutions partner for the commerce marketing industry. 

The company’s new name is now adopted by all of The Mars Agency’s operations around the world, a name that depicts its transformational growth into a full-service commerce marketing partner for brands and retailers.

Mars United Commerce’s rebranding reflects not only the company’s global reach but also the company’s past, present, and future commitment to operating as an enterprise commerce partner that delivers all the solutions brand and retailer clients need to grow their businesses. 

Mars United Commerce fully embodies the ongoing evolution of the commerce marketing industry, which has become a vast, complex array of shopping channels and engagement opportunities that must be mastered individually to deliver programme-level success but also managed collectively to drive company-wide growth. 

Significant investments in technology and infrastructure have positioned Mars United Commerce as global leaders in four key disciplines: strategy and analytics, retail media and eCommerce, content and experiences, and retail consultancy. These areas form a ‘United Commerce Ecosystem’, providing clients with essential expertise to navigate the complex commerce marketing landscape. 

The company’s proprietary ‘Marilyn Commerce Marketing Technology Platform’ enhances core strengths like shopper insights, deep retailer intelligence, and creative excellence, helping clients make better decisions, create connected experiences, and drive stronger business results.

Moreover, strategic acquisitions, including XPO Brands in 2022, have expanded the company’s reach and capabilities, bringing comprehensive commerce marketing solutions to new regions. Since aligning with The Mars Agency, XPO Brands has rapidly extended its passion and expertise across retail media, ecommerce, measurement, and analytics.

Mars United Commerce now encompasses a workforce of 800 professionals across North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, all experts in specific functions but also trained and certified in every aspect of commerce marketing. 

Sally Tobin, managing director for Mars United Commerce ANZ, said, “We’re so very proud of the equity we’ve built around the XPO name and the reputation we established for excellence in shopper and experiential marketing. Since joining The Mars Agency, we’ve moved beyond those roots to grow capabilities and gain equity in other key areas of commerce marketing. It’s only natural, then, for us to now join the rest of Mars in adopting a new name that better represents everything we can do for clients in the region.”

She added, “With The Mars Agency’s support, we’ve become a more complete commerce partner for our clients. As part of Mars United Commerce, we’ll be bringing even more opportunities to the region.” 

Also speaking on the rebrand, Rob Rivenburgh, global CEO, shared, “The Mars Agency has long been known for relentless reinvention, for staying ahead of industry trends to build expertise in the emerging skill sets our clients need to drive sustainable business growth. We have best-in-class capabilities across the full spectrum of commerce marketing and an unmatched ability to unite them to drive even greater success for our clients. That’s what Mars United Commerce says to the marketplace.” 

Australia – XPO: The Mars Agency, a shopper and activations firm, has revealed the opening of its retail media division in Australia as part of its growing connected commerce offering. Jeremy Hagnere has been appointed as the agency’s retail media director, and adds insight gained from his prior position at Cartology as director of client partnerships and sales.

The retail and search media management product from XPO: The Mars Agency offers capabilities to the Australian market by fusing their expertise in shopper marketing with 20 years of experience in global retail media and data-driven measurement.

XPO:TMA partnered with their brand partners to identify a market gap and highlight the need for trade media and shopper expertise in a single solution after realising the expanding significance of retail media in Australia.

The industry’s first Commerce Marketing Measurement platform, Marilyn®, became available in Australia as a result of XPO: The Mars Agency’s division launch. The ambiguity that hinders the assessment of Commerce Marketing within standard ATL Marketing Mix Models is solved by Marilyn®’s total transparency into the performance of retailer-focused operations.

Don Smallgoods of George Weston Foods is the foundational client for The Mars Agency’s Retail Media solution following its Australian debut. The management of their trade advertising funds will be managed by XPO across the top retail media networks, including Cartology (Woolworths Group), Coles 360, and Citrus Ad Search Media. Improving measuring capabilities and boosting profits are the goals across retailer media networks. Through this effort, XPO will continue to support George Weston Foods’ customer development and shopper marketing initiatives.

Sally Tobin, XPO: The Mars Agency Managing Director, said, “XPO has a deep understanding of the retailer space and award-winning credentials in shopper marketing; The Mars Agency has two decades of global expertise in Retail & Search Media Management. That combination makes us perfectly positioned to help clients bridge the gap across brand, trade and retailer and meet their complex needs across the ever-expanding Commerce Marketing ecosystem,”

Meanwhile Hagnere commented, “Traditional media agencies have struggled to understand the sweet spot in which retail media plays. It’s a delicate balance of trade and customer relationships, overlaid with an understanding of shopper needs as well as media management. Having worked with both brand and retailer clients across Customer Development and Shopper Marketing locally for the last 10 years, XPO: The Mars Agency is uniquely placed to solve this emerging need. We’re exceptionally excited for what lies ahead for our new Retail and Search Media Management offering, and the business more broadly.”