Communications agency Ear to the Ground has announced it is to take a new strategic direction from January 2013, focussing exclusively on helping brands connect with sport and music fans.
Major investment in the agency sees Ear to the Ground take on a new London office and team members, launch a new planning department and website, and open a new office in Brazil.
As part of the new vision, Ear to the Ground has formed a strategic research and insight department, FANATIC, in a bid to better understand fan behaviour. The new resource will allow the agency to better road test concepts, evaluate projects and help identify the emotional drivers that connect and differentiate sport and music fans.
Ear to the Group has also refitted its Manchester HQ and opened new offices on London and a Brazilian operation in Rio to capitalise on the forthcoming World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games. The Rio office will be headed up by Rafael Rocha, with Brazilian football champions Fluminese already signed to the agency.
Managing director Steve Smith commented: “Connecting brands with sport and music is really fine tuning our offer and focusing on everything we have learnt over the last decade.”