Five Reasons Why... Total Media Group has joined forces with Mediaplus

Total Media Group (TMG), comprising media agency Total Media and behavioural consultancy Behave, has been aquired by Mediaplus, Europe’s leading independent media agency and a subsidiary of independent agency group, Serviceplan.

Mediaplus, headquartered in Munich, Germany, employs around 2,000 people across 25 locations worldwide. Meanwhile, TMG has offices across the UK in London, Manchester and Solihull.

Both businesses are thriving and have spent eight years building the evidence for this merger. Now, they will be supporting one another to sustain mutual growth, the culmination of that work and a natural synergy.

Mediaplus has purchased TMG from majority stakeholders, including retiring Chairman Mike Sell and incoming Chairman Guy Sellers. Tom Laranjo, CEO of Total Media, steps up to become CEO of TMG. At the same time, Celine Saturnino will take over as CEO of Total Media London, and Penny Took will become CEO of Total Media Connect.

Total Media has worked with brands such as seafood company Young's, streaming service Britbox, Amazon, car-maker MG and TikTok, along with joint Mediaplus clients BMW, De’Longhi, E.ON, Epson, Scholl.

Five Reasons Why Mediaplus Has Acquired Total Media Group

• Enhanced Global Expertise and Reach

  The acquisition significantly boosts Mediaplus’ global capabilities, particularly within the UK market. TMG's behavioural planning and consultancy expertise complement Mediaplus’ existing strengths, providing a more comprehensive service to clients across Europe, North America, Asia, and the Middle East.

• Strengthened Leadership and Strategic Alignment

  The new leadership structure ensures continuity and strategic alignment with Tom Laranjo as CEO of TMG and Celine Saturnino as CEO of Total Media London. The long-standing relationship between the two companies, initiated in 2016, has proven to lead to successful collaboration.

• Combined Expertise in Behavioural Insights and Media Planning

  TMGs behavioural consultancy, Behave, and its media planning capabilities are now integrated with Mediaplus’ global media expertise. This alliance enhances the ability to deliver innovative and data-driven solutions, such as AI and psychological safety work, to internationally renowned brands.

• Increased Client Value and Growth Opportunities

  The partnership promises substantial benefits for clients, including enhanced access to resources and a broader geographic reach. This collaboration has already demonstrated success with joint clients such as BMW, De’Longhi, and E.ON, indicating strong potential for future growth and client satisfaction.

• Strategic Expansion and Market Leadership

  The full integration of TMG into Mediaplus is a strategic move to consolidate its market leadership in the UK and beyond. The partnership aims to leverage the combined depth of expertise and breadth of services to become the partner of choice for global account management.

Matthias Brüll, CEO Mediaplus Group, says: “The UK is an important market for the management of global clients, which is why we established a joint venture with Total Media in 2016, which has become an absolute growth and success story. Together with our partners in London and now newly appointed CEO Tom Laranjo, we serve major international clients such as BMW, De'Longhi and E.ON. Full integration is therefore a logical step that will enable further synergies and even closer interaction.  The combined depth of expertise and breadth of services of our two agencies, together with the international structure of the Mediaplus Group, makes us not only a leader in the UK market, but also the partner of choice for global account management.”

Tom Laranjo, CEO of TMG, adds: “TMG has gone from strength to strength over the past 12 months. Our media business delivered a 90% pitch conversion rate leading to £60m in new additional billings, and our behavioural consultancy Behave delivered groundbreaking work around AI and psychological safety into nationally known brands. It has also helped launch brands like TikTok in the UK and is currently working with Snap.

“Joining Mediaplus is an acknowledgement of our potential for growth as one entity, combining our behavioural expertise with Mediaplus’ global footprint. Mediaplus is a long-term partner of ours, so we know this will be a fruitful and happy partnership. Ultimately, everything we do is in service of our clients, our people and our partners - our commitment to these principles is reflected in the leadership team of Mediaplus," continued Laranjo.