Birge emerges with F5DC

Singapore - EX-Wunderman GM for Korea, Gregory Birge has opened his own marketing and consulting services company, F5 Digital Consulting (F5DC) focused on consumer and technologies.

According to Birge, the company aims close the gap between consumer and technologies and will be working closely with agencies and clients in developing consulting services.

"The digital revolution has drastically changed the way consumers interact with products, how they consume information and how they can be reached. A lot of companies realise the traditional marketing approach is no longer working and are looking for better and more efficient ways to market their products and services. Agencies are catching up as well and you see many 'interactive and digital' divisions being setup. Our strength is our ability to resolve client's problems with a clear understanding of the consumer needs, the digital ecosystem, and strong focus on delivering quality," he said.

Although F5DC has no physical location yet, the agency has already started a project with a blue chip international consumer firm, which declined to be named but Marketing understands the company will work with F5DC to develop a coordinated internet approach for Asia and leverage its digital business.

Birge told Marketing that the type of clients targeted would not "necessarily sell technology products, but at a point of time will be interested to bring a 'digital component' to their approach".

"Some of the questions we can help them to answer are really centred on how to use technology to better communicate on my products, what media to use, what kind of internet, mobile phone application to launch. On top of it, we intend to help the local business in Singapore. It is amazing to see the number of new companies starting in Singapore," he said.

For the time being, the operation is a one man show, but more staff are expected to join in the near future and a website should be available within the next two weeks, according to Birge.

"With my recent experience in Wunderman, I had the strong feeling it was the time to start a company on my own. I had the idea for some time now but it was recently when I engaged some of our clients that I realised this link between consumer and technologies was really missing. This is the reason I have decided to start F5DC. As I said, lots of companies try to benefit from the digital waves and are launching mobile phone, internet applications hoping to solve their sales problems. However, launching a mobile or an internet campaign will have a limited impact if it is not properly targeted and controlled," he said.