[NewsMaker] Pete Case

O&M has been on a talent acquisition mission this year to cement its status as South Africa's leading marketing communications and advertising agency.

Gloo founder and CEO, Pete Case, who takes up the role of co-Chief Creative Officer at Ogilvy & Mather South Africa, told Bizcommunity.com that it was necessary for the expansion of Gloo's vision to partner with a global agency network.

About Pete Case

Pete Case, founder and CEO of Gloo Digital Design agency is now co-Chief Creative Officer at Ogilvy & Mather South Africa. Gloo, founded in 2005, emerged as a top performing digital agency, specialising in the creation of campaign solutions for all sectors across the digital media space. It is South Africa's most awarded digital agency for creative and effective work and was named South Africa's Digital Agency of the Year every year for the past seven years.

Q: Why this deal?
A: We were originally looking to buy as one of our options was creating a 'super Gloo' and we started approaching others. We wanted to be more collaborative, we didn't want to dilute what we are doing. I wanted to accelerate our vision... it made sense to be part of a big group and that kick-started the conversation. The process was valuable in itself. We were having deep conversations with CEOs who are really passionate about Africa. They are interested in little shops like us and the possibilities were very exciting. There is something exciting happening in Africa.

Q: What is your vision?
A: We have a dual vision: one is 'pure play digital' which is very much about getting very very deep into analytics and pure play digital. Secondly, integrated marketing services/communications services, a mixture of marketing and business solutions - how data changes business, how we can create business efficiency using digital solutions. Our vision is to engage businesses at a much higher level than we are able to do as a standalone agency. Having the ear of the CEO means that you are able to have a different type of conversation. Our vision is to become as useful as possible to brands. Digital and analytics gives us that ability. I want to be involved in that revolution: changing business as we know it, helping businesses change... We can decode some of that.

Q: Why the deal with Ogilvy & Mather South Africa?
A: There were many promises made to us. Ogilvy were the first to put evidence on the table. Ogilvy are investing in digital knowledge and leadership right across the group, in great people, which is exciting to me. They have all of the kind of areas we wanted to have specialist skills in, such as experiential, shopper marketing, digital PR, mobile... There are 16 businesses inside Ogilvy South Africa. They were doing things that we need to work with. And they didn't talk about the money for the first six months. They spoke about the people and the culture. Those kinds of conversations are genuine. We also heard the group vision of digital from London where digital is bigger than advertising.

Q: What clinched the deal?
A: The single most important thing about Gloo is culture. We have managed to attract the right amount of people who have stayed. That fit is very important. That was another push. We were also working together. In the end, I think that they allowed us to construct a deal that kept me in the centre of the business for the future and they are honestly trying to create the agency model of the future. They have massive ambition and that is exciting for me. Their internship programme is incredibly interesting too.

Q: How would you describe the merger?
A: It is my and our bold bet on the future of advertising.

Q: As an admitted workaholic, what do you do for fun?
A: Play a lot of sport, I'm an avid sports freak. I do triathlons. Anything competitive, I'll play. And I make things, with my hands. As an artist, that makes me happy.

Q: What's on your bucket list?
A: I love travelling. I want to see more amazing things around the world.