Leo Burnett’s Chicago headquarters obviously accounts for a majority of its work, but the network did maintain an office in Manhattan for five years before shuttering that operation in February. In 2009, LB also established Leo Burnett Business, a B2B operation built on “a deep understanding of the niche audiences involved.”
Now, as part of its latest wave of consolidation moves, Publicis has decided to fold that operation into Rokkan, which is a full-service agency but does handle a lot of B2B work and shares an address with LB Business.
The statement from an agency spokesperson:
“To maximize the services the agency can offer to its clients, Leo Burnett Business in New York City is being folded into its larger and fast-growing sister entity, Rokkan. The two agencies have resided together on Park Avenue for a year and will now formally be one under the Rokkan banner. As you probably know, Rokkan is a 15-year old agency that provides account management, creative and digital working for clients such as American Express, Jet Blue, Samsung and Purina.”
This news does not come as a complete surprise. When Publicis decided to close the LB New York office, the official line held that it was a strategic move allowing the group to “focus on growth opportunities with Rokkan, Leo Burnett Business, Leo Burnett Chicago and the broader global network.”
The operation was small, with AdAge estimating its total employee count around 10. Its clients include AVIS, Phillips, GE, BP, Capital One and Fifth Third Bank, the Chicago institution that is, coincidentally, the same party currently engaged in a financial dispute with what used to be Commonground/MGS.
We hear that Rokkan is in the process of absorbing Leo Burnett Business’s accounts and most of its staff.