Dentsu Aegis Network is adding to its Isobar network by buying one of Mexico's best-known digital agencies, Flock, marking Isobar's first step into Spanish-speaking Latin America. Isobar already operates in Brazil, the region's largest economy, followed by Mexico.
Flock was started in 2009 in Mexico City, which has a thriving independent agency sector, by CEO Sebastian Tonda and Mario Nissan. The shop has 143 staffers, and clients include Nike, Coca-Cola, Domino's Pizza, Jose Cuervo and cinema chain Cinepolis.
Before opening Flock, Mr. Tonda spent three years at Mexican media giant Grupo Televisa, as marketing director of its magazine division, and then its web properties. Before that, he worked at cinema chain Cinépolis.
Mr. Nissan, who also worked at Televisa earlier in his career, has had various roles at Flock, including consumer strategy VP, then chief operating officer, followed by chief information officer. Last year he became general manager for Flock Media and Performance, which works with technology and innovation, digital media and performance, and data and analytics.
Both Mr. Tonda and Mr. Nissan are also investors and board members at other digital and tech businesses.
The agency will be renamed Flock – linked by Isobar, and will report primarily to Julio Castellanos, CEO, Dentsu Aegis Network Mexico, and also to Abel Reis, CEO of Isobar Latin America and CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network Brasil. Isobar has a large presence in Brazil due to Dentsu's acquisition and re-branding of Mr. Reis' Sao Paulo digital shop AgenciaClick.
Earlier this week, Dentsu Aegis Network bought Cardinal Path, a North American data consulting firm co-headquartered in Chicago and Vancouver, and a digital agency group in the Czech Republic called Adexpress Group.
