Toronto-based Rogers Communications has named Rosetta its interactive and direct marketing agency of record after a review.
The agency, which replaced Wunderman Toronto, began work for Rogers earlier this month.
Shelagh Stoneham, VP of brand and marketing communications at Rogers, said Rosetta’s experience working with telecommunications companies was a major factor in the decision.
“Our long list of agencies was at about 10 in the beginning, most of them global players, and Rosetta’s personality segmentation model and the fact that they are a data-driven company, as we are, set them apart,” she said. “They also have deep industry experience, having worked with AT&T and T-Mobile.”
Chris Kuenne, CEO of Rosetta, deferred to Rogers for specific figures, but said the multi-million dollar deal runs for numerous years. However, both the agency and Rogers declined to provide specific figures. Rosetta is in the process of opening and staffing a Toronto office, he added.
“We’ll have 20 to 30 employees in the office, and we have been recruiting aggressively since learning that we won the business in late January,” Kuenne said.
Rosetta’s telecommunications clients have included Sprint and AT&T Wireless. The agency currently works with T-Mobile in the US.
Kuenne declined to comment on specific responsibilities, beyond direct and interactive services and work on consumer and business-to-business campaigns. The first campaigns from the hire will debut in March, he said.
Rosetta will work closely with Publicis and OMD, Rogers’ brand and media agencies, respectively.
“Our history has been in traditional direct,” Stoneham said. “We’re increasingly shifting our focus and budget toward more digital play, and we see digital as more significant part of our communications in the future. We’re looking to Rosetta to make that transition.”
