John Brown Media
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| Founded | 1 April 1987 |
|---|---|
| Founder | John Brown |
| Headquarters location | 8 Baldwin Street, London EC1V 9NU, United Kingdom |
| Publication types | Digital content, apps, social media, mobile, video, AV, catalogues, magazines |
| Number of employees | 222 |
| Official website |
www |
John Brown Media, is one of the world’s largest content marketing agencies. CEO Andrew Hirsch invented the phrase "Indigenous Content" while speaking at Advertising Week Europe in London on 3 April 2014. While originally formed as a magazine company, John Brown Media creates unique multichannel content for many global brands, with services including social media, film and audio, mobile and app creation, proposition & marketing strategy, insight & analysis, web, print and commercial solutions.
Based in Ladbroke Grove in London, the company was formed in 1987 by John Brown who had previously run Virgin Books. The business was launched with two magazines – adult comic Viz, for which John Brown had secured the rights, and HotAir, Virgin Atlantic’s inflight title.
However, while going on to publish several other newsstand titles, it was the customer magazine side of the business that grew most dramatically with early clients including Debenhams, IKEA, the Dorchester, Eurotunnel and many others.
In 2001 the company disposed of its consumer titles to concentrate on customer communications and quickly absorbed Citrus Publishing – another contract agency. This move, along with winning several prominent contracts, established John Brown as the UK’s largest customer publishing house.
In 2003, Viz was acquired by Dennis Publishing.
In 2004, CEO Andrew Hirsch (formerly of Pearl and Dean) initiated a successful MBO. A broadening of the group’s activities and a number of acquisitions followed as did board appointments in marketing and strategy. In 2008 the senior management team restructured all the acquired businesses (including CodeLondon, Fingal and Act Two) to trade under the single John Brown banner.
In 2006, specialist catalogue publishing agency CodeLondon was acquired.
In 2007, creative and digital communication agency Fingal was acquired.
In 2007, a South African office was opened in Cape Town after winning the publishing business of Pick n Pay, a large South African retailer.
In 2008, a major company rebrand was undertaken with all companies trading under the John Brown name.
In 2011, Hong Kong agency Kleio was acquired and rebranded as John Brown Hong Kong.
In 2013, after winning business with UAE supermarket Spinneys, offices were opened in Dubai, with a US office opened in 2015.
In 2015, John Brown Media joined the Dentsu Aegis Network, , a move for both that was trumpeted as "a game changer" for client media.
John Brown currently produces around 100 publications and projects for more than 50 clients including RBS, across its corporate banking, business, commercial, kids and other areas, Waitrose, for whom it produces Waitrose Kitchen magazine and the MyWaitrose app, The British Heart Foundation and John Lewis. Others have included Sky, the DCSF, Orange. It has featured frequently at various publishing award ceremonies, both for the creativity of its work, and its own industry success, having been named Marketing Magazine’s Customer Publishing Agency of the Year in 2004. In 2014, the agency netted awards at the Content Marketing Association Awards and the Financial World Innovation Awards.