Publicis Groupe opens up VivaKi Nerve Centre to all agencies

Publicis says the move, which will encompass research projects from the division’s Nerve Centre such as ‘The Pool’ and Audience on Demand (AOD), will mean that all Publicis Groupe agencies will have more freedom to collaborate using VivaKi resources. Previously, the service was only used by the group’s media planning and buying shops.

The changes mean that anyone using the Nerve Centre will now report directly to Maurice Lévy, chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe (pictured). Current VivaKi CEO Jack Klues will retire at the end of the year after 35 years with the organisation, but will help to establish VivaKi as a seperate business unit up to the first half of 2013. He will be replaced as the unit CEO by Frank Voris, currently VivaKi CFO, and Rishad Tobaccowala will remain as VivaKi’s chief innovation and strategy officer.

In a statement, Publicis says that VivaKi will be transformed from a platform of coordination and collaboration to a business unit opened to all Groupe agencies and the market. It will extend the offerings of the Nerve Centre, including AOD and the Pool, to clients of Publicis Groupe and ultimately to clients outside the Groupe.

“The Nerve Centre has been one of the most successful accomplishments of VivaKi,” said Lévy. “Still the only operation of its kind in our industry, it brings strategic innovations to life by leveraging the collective influence of its agencies. It allows us to create world class offerings in the Center rather than building duplicate capabilities inside each agency. Efficient innovation is its hallmark. All CEOs and leaders will immediately engage VivaKi to leverage its products and services, and to create blueprints for new tools and technologies that will make us stronger, more efficient and more imaginative partners to our clients.”

VivaKi will also continue to advance its product development and partnership practice — a team that works with companies like Google, Facebook, Microsoft to create first-mover opportunities, new products and preferred pricing.