LONDON (AdAge.com) -- Amsterdam-based agency 180, which sold a stake to Omnicom Group last month and is due to open an office in Los Angeles in January, has won a global branding assignment from Sony Corp.

The brief
The brief is separate from Sony's product-related marketing activities, and seeks to create a single, powerful idea that will work throughout the company and across international borders.

Andrew House, chief marketing officer for Sony Corp., said in a statement, "Sony's brand is one of the company's greatest assets, and through this project we hope to reinforce our strengths and achieve maximum leverage for all of our businesses, individually and collectively."

Alex Melvin, managing partner-chairman of 180 Amsterdam, said, "Sony is one of the true global power brands. It is a huge honor to be asked to contribute ideas at this level." The agency is already on the Sony roster: Sony Electronics earlier moved its $56 million U.S. ad business to a team composed of 180 and Omnicom's BBDO, New York.

Worked with Hakuhodo
Japanese agency Hakuhodo worked with 180 on the global branding pitch, which began in August. The team fought off competition from another Sony shop, Publicis Groupe's Fallon, London, which created the acclaimed "Balls" spot that made the Sony Bravia one of the best-selling TV brands in Europe. Berlin Cameron United in New York also went after the assignment.

180's client roster includes Adidas International, Motorola Corp., General Motors Europe, Omega Watches and Dr Pepper. The creative hot shop has managed to win, and keep, major international accounts with only the single Amsterdam office.