Serviceplan Group continues on exponential growth course

Florian Haller, CEO of the Serviceplan Group commented: "One of the Serviceplan Group's most exciting and most important business years has now come to an end – and a very successful one at that. We are now represented in all of the world's most important markets: Europe, Asia and North America. With the opening in New York where we have introduced our unique 'House of Communication' concept, we have made an important step into the US market. I am also particularly proud of our first entry in the Ad Age Agency Report Global rankings, where we achieved 22nd place."

House of Communication New York

In May 2018, Serviceplan Group had two great reasons to celebrate: thanks to our successful internationalisation strategy, we entered the Top 25 of the AdAge Agency Report Global Ranking at position 22, with annual sales of USD 602 million in the 2017 financial year.

Also in May 2018, the House of Communication opened in the centre of New York in Manhattan. The three familiar pillars of the Serviceplan agency group are represented in New York under one roof: Serviceplan, MODCo/Mediaplus and the digital agency T3. Serviceplan New York currently consists of 65 staff and is managed jointly by Stefan Schütte, Nick Johnson, Jay Benjamin and Nick Chapman, while MODCo/Mediaplus is led by Erik Dochtermann and Eileidh Bamford. The digital agency T3 is a partner agency run by Ben Gaddis.

All Pillars of the Serviceplan Group remain on a growth trajectory

All divisions within the agency group recorded significant growth rates and maintained their sales levels in a difficult market environment. The strongest pillar in the past financial year was the agency group for digital communication under the Plan.Net brand. It contributed EUR 103 million, or 25 percent, of the Group's total sales.

The media agency managed under the Mediaplus brand, which contributed around 23 percent of the Group's total sales, increased its sales by 6.8 per cent to EUR 94 million (2016/2017: 88 million with the same revenue share). This includes the results of the Facit Group. With numerous awards, the Mediaplus Group has continued to impress not only in Germany, but as the top-ranking media agency in Germany in the international RECMA rankings.

Saint Elmo’s posted sales of EUR 19 million in the financial year, thereby contributing around 5 percent of the Group’s total sales growth of 58.3 percent (2016/17: 12 million; 3.1 percent).

The Serviceplan brand also maintained a high level of growth in the past financial year and generated agency fees of EUR 92 million, corresponding to a share of 22.2 percent (2016/2017: 92 million; 23.7 percent).

In the past financial year Serviceplan Solutions generated agency fees of EUR 12 million. This result corresponds to a growth of 9 per cent year on year. In addition to brands Serviceplan, Plan.Net, Mediaplus and Facit, in spring 2016 the Serviceplan Group established "Solutions" as its fifth pillar. Last but not least, the significance and weight of the business area are expressed in this, as the transcreation, adaption and versification of communication are experiencing ever-increasing demand. 

The Serviceplan Consulting Group, which was founded in spring 2016 and is still in its start-up phase, has been very well received by its customers and is moving towards 5 million in sales.

To a large extent, the successful growth of the Group is the result of the expansion of existing customer business, as well as gaining more than 400 new German and international customers and accounts. The following brands were won or won back in Germany: Becks, BSH, Bausparkasse Schwäbisch Hall, Clever fit, Nürnberger Versicherung, Dr. Beckmann, Telekom T-Systems, MAN, Almdudler, BMW Aftersales and KraussMaffei. The most significant customers that have been gained in international locations are Tencent (China), Auchan (France), Ferrero (Italy) and Netflix (Spain).

With a 21.9 percent share of overall sales and revenue of 91 million (2016/2017: 83 million; 21.4 percent) the locations outside of Germany therefore made a substantial and steadily increasing contribution to total sales in the past financial year.