Ogilvy PR brought in to bolster Rakuten’s global brand

Ogilvy PR has been handed a new global corporate PR contract by online retail company Rakuten following a competitive review.

According to the Holmes Report, the Japanese company is currently trying to strengthen its global brand and has therefore selected Ogilvy PR for this brief, which could be worth as much as $2 million (1.34 million pounds).

The assignment will see Ogilvy PR become Rakuten's agency of record for corporate and enterprise PR, covering the client's 12 primary international markets outside Japan, which include Brazil, the US, France, the UK, Germany, Spain, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

Hotwire previously handled this work for the last three years in Europe and the Americas, while Text 100 managed its Asia-Pacific activities. Rakuten is hoping to build its international brand around its 'Shopping is Entertainment' slogan, which has proven successful in Japan.

Ogilvy PR will be tasked with driving overall brand awareness, focusing particularly on the Rakuten platform's appeal to potential merchants.

This new deal is not expected to affect the PR arrangements of individual subsidiaries, such as the UK's Play.com and digital arm Rakuten Marketing.