Havas expands global footprint of the Annex to Asia

With digital allowing culture to move rapidly, big brands that do not keep up get disrupted quickly by trends if they do not respond to it, according to digital agency Havas, which has developed a new Millennial-led model which crushes the divide between brands and the emerging marketplace.

The Annex, with the tagline #NeverSleeps, is a collective of leading creators and acts as a heartbeat on trend. Havas said it is a unique environment that puts it at the centre of culture as it grows, acting as a voice for emerging markets. To be a part of it, advertising experience is not necessary, but relevance is.

Day to day, the Annex is a centre for creators in art, music, video, fashion and social media. First and foremost, the Annex prioritises not only being tapped into, but creating trend and culture first-hand in a completely organic way.

“In an industry that has been completely disrupted, we knew that we needed to come up with something brand new,” says Paul Marobella, chairman and CEO of Havas Creative US. “The Annex is a response to a marketplace which demands to be engaged with differently and to brands constantly coming to us seeking insight into what is happening in the market. We knew that in order to be tapped into culture, we couldn’t fake it. We had to live immersed in it every day. The Annex acts as a living, breathing study in emerging markets and allows us and the brands that we work with to tap directly in these markets.”

The model has attracted some of the biggest brands in the world such as Coca-Cola and Mike’s Hard Lemonade. With its first location in Chicago, the Annex has expanded to New York, Atlanta and Singapore, with quick plans to expand to Los Angeles, Paris and Tokyo.

The multiple locations of the Annex will have their own unique value, Havas revealed. The acquisition of digital agency The 88 led to the creation of Annex88 in New York City, which has rising young talent in fashion, music and art. The Annex in Atlanta stems from the agency’s impactful social media work for Coca-Cola, where 45 employees currently reside full time in the brand’s headquarters. Opening in early 2018 is a Los Angeles location, which will serve as a hub for entertainment and music. With 70% of Singaporeans active on social media, Singapore will host the first international Annex, with award-winning creative personality Le Messie at the helm.

In each of these markets, the Annex will tailor to the needs of each region, attracting iconic leaders and the most relevant voices to each location, while maintaining the same core purpose. Locations will also serve as first-hand market research, offering an up-close look at how culture constantly evolves in each location, while having the ability to tap into a global network of creative voices.