Les Ouvriers du Paradis to join Red Cell

30 Aug 2002

Les Ouvriers du Paradis, one of France’s pre-eminent creative agencies, is to become part of the Red Cell Network. The move marks the latest in a series of acquisitions by the network in the last 12 months, including Berlin Cameron in New York and HeadlightVision.

Les Ouvriers du Paradis (Workers in Paradise) has a unique reputation within the French market. Founded in 1997 by Thierry Consigny and Hervé Chadenat, the 33 people agency maintains a simple philosophy: that in order to sell, advertising must contribute to the pleasure a brand and its products brings to its customers. Proving this point, Les Ouvriers boasts an impressive client list that includes some of France and Europe’s pre-eminent luxury brands, such as Bon Marché, Baccarat, Louis Roederer, Nina Ricci and Falke. Revenue for 2001 was Euro 4,475,000 and net assets at 31 December 2001 were valued at Euro 1,390,000.

"Les Ouvriers is led by two extraordinary strategic and creative individuals who have an enormous understanding of luxury goods branding", explains Lee Daley, Co CEO and Chief Strategic Officer for Red Cell. "It is a quintessentially French agency that has sophistication and good taste at its core.

"Our decision to bring Les Ouvriers into Red Cell reflects our philosophy of bringing together totally unique companies that share common values about the power of ideas and creativity. Unlike other networks, we are not a franchise operation, rather an aggregation of world class strategic and creative people and unique companies that share the same beliefs and goals. In the past 12 months we have already added Berlin Cameron and HeadlightVision to our team, two companies that have enormous presence in their own right, but which also have the capacity to create universal and powerful ideas that will work globally.

"In Les Ouvriers du Paradis, we have the ‘Little Prince’ of agencies – and I know that they will add something spectacular to our network. In the next three years we will continue on this aggressive acquisition path to ensure that the blend of talent within Red Cell is unbeatable".

Les Ouvriers du Paradis will merge its operations with Red Cell’s existing French operation, Red Cell Paris and become known as Les Ouvriers du Paradis / Red Cell. The agency will be based at Les Ouvriers’ offices in the rue de Bourgogne, 7eme arondissement.

Andy Berlin. Co CEO, Chief Creative Officer, Red Cell, comments: "One of the joys of Les Ouvriers is its determination not to imitate any other style of agency. It is truly unique with its own brand of charm and aesthetic, yet never without a compelling idea at its core".

Thierry Consigny, co founder and President of Les Ouvriers du Paradis, commented: "The aim is to go from Verlaine to Rimbaud, from Alberola to Basquiat, as beautiful but stonger, as inspired but more universal".

Hervé Chadenat, co founder and Creative Director of Les Ouvriers du Paradis, says: "In most networks, it is the strategy that counts more than the people. What we appreciate about Red Cell is its belief that no matter how good the strategy, it is only with great people and great ideas that success will come. Les Ouvriers will now be supported by strong strategic and creative individuals that will enable our clients to optimise international links of great quality."

Kathryn Herrick, Chief Operating Officer / Chief Financial Officer of Red Cell, who put together the deal, commented: "Bringing Les Ouvriers into the Red Cell family makes complete commercial sense. It is their uniqueness that attracts us, everything from their physical environment to their very Frenchness. Our aim is to embrace their difference and celebrate their special contribution to clients."