Havas Media Labs Launches in London

Havas Media, has this week announced the launch of Havas Media Labs, underlining its commitment to offering a cutting edge, real-time data and content based response to changing client needs.

Led by Head of Futures, Amy Kean, Havas Media Labs will also broker partnerships between brands and start-ups, and has selected Cognisess – a fast-growing people analytics provider to business, as its first partner.  It has also begun working on long-term innovation projects with market leaders including AXA and Clarks.

As the innovation and thought-leadership hub of the Havas Village in the UK, Havas Media Labs’ role will be to use technology to solve clients’ brand and business problems, adding a future-proofing layer to their consumer understanding and communications. It will focus on longevity rather than short-term wins, and intends to change the culture of the entire agency, not just its own clients.

Havas Media Labs will collaborate with Tech City start-ups through a strategic partnership with Three Beards, allowing its clients’ access to fresh, emerging technology. The move will offer Tech City start-ups access to advice from top talent and their extensive experience working with blue-chip brands.

The Labs has also begun to conduct research on the impact of digital disruption to both society and human psychology – the first of which will be a joint project with mobile company Weve.

Its first strategic partner, neuroscience specialist Cognisess, will work with Havas Media to help transform the way it recruits and evaluates its staff. By adding a layer of objective, cognitive and emotional games to the selection process Cognisess tests core abilities, and results are then matched and ranked against set criteria. For example, against the profiles of best-fit individuals for a particular job role or sector.

Paul Frampton, Havas Media CEO, said: “We’re extremely excited to be launching Havas Media Labs, a unique initiative which will offer clients new ways to connect with consumers that draws on cutting edge developments in the use of data and content to create intelligent campaigns. The agile culture of Tech City has been permeating our industry for some time now, and with the launch of the Labs we look forward to harnessing this ethos throughout our partnership work.”

Chris Butt, CEO of Cognisess added: “We are excited to be working with Havas Media -it is an ideal partner as we start to better understand and change the way agencies manage their most important asset – people. We share Havas Media’s meaningful brands strategy as it matches our desire, through the use of neuroscience and big data, to find more meaningful ways of understanding employees and consumers.”

Havas Media has also launched one-month start-up tenancies in the 300-strong agency – offering companies new to the industry access to clients, departments and mentoring opportunities.