Fiercely Independent. Together.

by Mary Knight, Executive Creative Director

When 65 likeminded advertising agencies in 50 countries work together, clients win.

Jumbo shrimp. Hell’s Angels. Seriously funny. I love a good oxymoron, don’t you? But “Fiercely Independent. Together.” is much more—a rare combination of entrepreneurial and collaborative spirit. It’s the unique genetic code that’s shared by members of Hydrogen’s independent global network, Worldwide Partners (WPI).

With B2B, B2C, pharma, traditional, digital, social media and even event planning (think: Nike-level events here,) WPI’s network of specialists, resources, and on-the-ground local experts is Hydrogen’s secret sauce that we can apply, if and when needed, on behalf of your brand.

All of the good, none of the baggage.

As a former “Big Agency Animal,” I know there are benefits to global networks for many clients. The beauty of being a member of WPI is, we get to leverage the good stuff about a global network without piling on the politics, layers—and price tag—of a publically-held entity. Plus, there’s no “go big or go home” philosophy at Hydrogen or at our partner agencies. Even small and mid-sized clients can reap rewards typically reserved for larger brands. For example:

• Hydrogen can leverage specialty areas or provide local media knowledge for our clients in the U.S. and 49 more countries. One example: We conducted a North American “pulse check” in a matter of days to test the strength of a strategic insight.
• WPI searches for the most innovative resources to share with member agencies. At our last network meeting, Instagram shared their latest-breaking media diversification capabilities with us.
• Hydrogen also benefits from hearing—in person—from cutting edge marketers. At the most recent North American WPI meeting, clients from Uber and T-Mobile shared simple things that agencies can do to help them succeed, and a senior client from HP shared his hard-earned lessons about working with paid influencers.
• Through WPI, Hydrogen receives group discounts on things like syndicated research and stock photography. It feels good—and it’s good business—to be able to offer all clients resources that are often only accessible to larger brands with even larger pocketbooks.

I’m proud that Hydrogen is part of the fiercely independent Worldwide Partners network. WPI helps us bring you a global perspective and presence. It exposes us to innovative changes in marketing tools and platforms. And perhaps most important, through WPI, we get to hear from leading likeminded clients about what works. And what doesn’t.

Want to benefit from their experiences? Drop me an email. Or give me a ring. Same difference. (Last oxymoron. Promise.)