The agency's mobile billings have grown by more than 117% in 2013 and it has seen strong growth in markets where it has specialist mobile divisions such as the UK, Germany, Scandinavia, Singapore and India. These teams have developed unique and first in market mobile services for clients, ranging from creative to apps, vouchers, coupons, augmented reality and QR codes to geo-location campaigns.
Phillips will work with the local teams to define best practice across the agency, as more digital campaigns are expanded into mobile. He will ensure that clients benefit from the latest knowledge and understanding of this important channel.
His initial task will be to focus on mobile strategy directly with clients. This will include identifying ways to exploit the strengths of mobile for always-on campaigns, such as driving footfall for retailers, acquisition for direct response clients, engagement and customer retention for brand-led clients and m-commerce for e-commerce clients.
He has worked in the mobile sector for 12 years. At Adloqi, he developed advertising opportunities and linked the platform to major exchanges. He has also worked at mobile marketing and advertising technology provider Velti, customer engagement specialist MoMac and mobile payment and messaging company MindMatics.
The agency's current EMEA head of mobile, Steffen Krabbenhøft, will now report to Phillips, as will Andrew Newton, who heads-up the P&G mobile team in APAC.
Phillips will also work closely with sister WPP agencies Joule, in China, France and the US, and H-art in Italy, which currently provides additional mobile support in these markets.
