• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, December 3, 2013

You might want to go grab some Pace Salsa as you read this item because who knows how long something as crazy as this is going to last. Interactive agency 8k has decided to allow clients and prospects to determine how much they will pay for work done by the agency. 8k calls this their Pay What You Want model and, of course, it isn't a new model. Just not one we've seen before in the advertising world. While the program does have guidelines and the agency can choose to accept or pass on a project if they don't feel the proposed compensation fits the work at hand, it's quite unlike an agency to do too much work at cutting rates. Much like the agency name, there are 8 rules that must be followed by customers when proposing compensation. One of the reasons the agency launched the service is to explore how their work is valued. Let's see how long this lasts before some comedian says they've been pulling our chain all along.

In a blow to Arnold, Volvo will move its U.S. $50 million creative business to Grey New York following the selection of Grey London as the brand's global creative agency. Arnold isn't talking but Volvo SVP Alain Visser told  Advertising Age, "Grey London has proven that they are capable of delivering what we are looking for. The team has, in a very short period of time, shown a very good understanding of our brand and our needs." The crazy Volvo Trucks stunts will remain with Swedish agency Forsman & Bodenfors.

In the continuous game of "mine's bigger," even though Maurice and John are swinging for the same team, Publicis Groupe has announced the acquisition of South African digital search marketing company, Synergize. Founded in 1999, Synergize is one of a few Google Analytics accredited agencies in Africa and the Middle East. The agency was the Search Marketing category winner of the 2012 and 2013 Bookmarks Awards, and a winner of 3 additional 2013 Bookmarks Awards, the Oscars, so to speak, of digital marketing in South Africa. The agency will be integrated into Saatchi & Saatchi South Africa, boosting the agency's integrated communications capabilities in South Africa and across the Saatchi & Saatchi Africa network. Saatchi & Saatchi's At Play digital arm will be absorbed into the new division, which will be renamed Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize.

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