Deutsch Takes Over Lowe: Done Deal

Interpublic Group of Companies made it official today. Its Deutsch unit will absorb Lowe & Partners in the U.S.

But they didn’t take my advice by bagging the Lowe name in the U.S.

Instead…ugh…Deutsch will be known as “Deutsch Inc.: A Lowe & Partners Company.”

Of course, no one in their right mind will call it anything but Deutsch. But still…

Why are ad agencies so often terrible at naming themselves?

I disagreed with the idea of renaming J. Walter Thompson JWT. Indeed, it makes sense, I guess, from a logo standpoint. But I can’t bring myself to call it anything but J. Walter…or Thompson.

The worst ever was when a merged agency actually called itself CME-KHBB. And then there was Messner, Vetere, Berger, McNamee, Schmeterrer: Euro RSCG. Ick.

I often wondered what the clients thought. “You can’t even market yourself coherently…what am I paying you for?”

Oh, well….here are the details of the announcement. But I say….Lowe is dead (in the U.S) Long live Deutsch.

INTERPUBLIC ALIGNS DEUTSCH INC. AND LOWE WORLDWIDE
• Deutsch To Assume Management Oversight of Lowe Operations in North America Under Leadership of Linda Sawyer
• Deutsch New York to Absorb Lowe NY Office
• Moves Further Strengthen Lowe Worldwide, Adding Dynamic U.S. Hub Agency to Growing Global Network
• Deutsch Gains Access to Global Presence to Secure and Grow Multinational Client Relationships

New York, NY – October 15, 2009 – Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) announced today that it will be aligning its Deutsch agency with Lowe Worldwide. Deutsch will become the North American hub of the Lowe & Partners global network, assuming management oversight of Lowe operations in North America, including Lowe New York, Lowe Roche Toronto and Lowe Healthcare, under the leadership of Linda Sawyer. Deutsch NY will absorb the Lowe New York operations. Lowe Roche and Lowe Healthcare will continue to operate without any change to their current leadership teams and branding. Deutsch LA will also be unaffected, continuing to run as an integrated agency, reporting to Deutsch Inc. Going forward, Deutsch will operate under the name “Deutsch Inc., a Lowe & Partners Company.”

Read the original story at BusinessWeek Brand New Day Blog