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Ogilvy unveils global activation firm OgilvyAction
MUMBAI: The Ogilvy Group has announced the formation of OgilvyAction to provide a full range of brand activation services globally. In North America, OgilvyAction will be comprised of all of Ogilvy’s activation capabilities in the region, including 141 and Ben Marketing.
Rick Roth, a 25-year Ogilvy veteran, who was named CEO of 141 Worldwide in December 2004, will oversee all activation business at Ogilvy.
“In today’s cluttered and competitive world, marketers need to find new ways to connect their brands to the real lives of their consumers and the business needs of their trade customers,” said OgilvyAction CEO Rick Roth. “With studies showing that nearly 70 percent of purchase decisions are made near or in the store, OgilvyAction plans to reach consumers at key moments of truth, ultimately to influence their actions at the point of purchase.”
An official statement issued by the company states that OgilvyAction, headquartered in New York, would provide services in promotional, shopper and trade marketing, experiential (formally 141boomerang), sports and entertainment marketing (formally 141premiere), digital (formally 141xm) and retail design. The company promises to be instrumental in helping clients win in what they call “The Last Mile.”
“With activation becoming an increasing need among our clients globally, it just makes sense to bring this important business closer to the Ogilvy brand,” said Ogilvy & Mather chairman and CEO Shelly Lazarus.
In North America, OgilvyAction will have offices in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Stamford, Toronto and Honolulu. Jay Farrell will be CEO for OgilvyAction in this region.
“While other networks have begun to fold their activation groups into their advertising offerings, it’s great that Ogilvy is committed to OgilvyAction as a stand-alone, best-in-class component of its 360 Degree promise,” said Farrell.
In certain regions, 141 will continue to exist as an independent unit in servicing clients. In Asia, 141 will continue to exist as part of BatesAsia.
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De Beers launches ‘A Diamond Is Forever’ centenary book
Visual retrospective traces 100 years of iconic slogan and cultural impact.
MUMBAI: De Beers just dropped a century’s worth of sparkle between two covers because when a four-word line becomes forever, even the book needs a forever title. De Beers Group has released A Diamond Is Forever: The Making of a Cultural Icon 1926–2026, a landmark visual retrospective celebrating 100 years of shaping the modern perception of natural diamonds. The book traces how the brand transformed diamonds from elite heirlooms into universal symbols of love, commitment and personal achievement, with rare archival material, campaign highlights and cultural commentary.
At its core is the legendary 1947 slogan “A Diamond Is Forever,” penned by N.W. Ayer copywriter Frances Gerety. The four words redefined diamonds as eternal promises, earning the title of the 20th century’s greatest advertising slogan from Advertising Age in 1999. The book explores how this idea and others like the “Two Months’ Salary” guideline and the “Right Hand Ring” influenced social rituals, female independence and consumer behaviour worldwide, including in India, where diamonds shifted from gold-centric traditions to emotionally resonant milestones.
Beyond marketing, it showcases collaborations with artists like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Raoul Dufy, alongside icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. Later campaigns, including the 1990s “Shadows” series set to Karl Jenkins’ Palladio, reinforced diamonds as timeless and unique. The narrative also addresses today’s focus on provenance, sustainability and ethical stewardship, positioning natural diamonds as symbols of both enduring love and responsible luxury.
The book arrives as De Beers marks a century of innovation in luxury marketing, from the Great Depression to the era of conscious consumption, offering a rare window into one of advertising’s most enduring brand stories.
In a world where trends fade fast, De Beers didn’t just sell diamonds, it sold forever, and now it’s bound the proof in pages that will outlast even the hardest carat.
