Modem Media.Poppe Tyson Shortens Name, Starts Branding Campaign

Interactive agency Modem Media.Poppe Tyson, formed in the 1998 merger between Modem Media and Poppe Tyson, on Monday announced it was simplifying its name to Modem Media (MMPT), and launching an ad campaign to support the new brand.

The campaign will push the Modem Media brand as well as its recently introduced “me-business” strategy. The ads will begin appearing at the end of March in publications like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Business 2.0, Forbes ASAP, Red Herring and The Industry Standard.

“We are thrilled to be launching our campaign and further communicating why our me-business strategy makes good business sense for our clients and their customers,” said G.M. O’Connell, Modem Media chairman and chief executive officer.

Today’s name change is the latest in a series of developments that diminished the influence of the 75-year-old Poppe Tyson brand. The agency, which had suffered management and strategic turmoil before the merger with Modem Media, played second fiddle in the deal, since G.M. O’Connell, Modem Media’s CEO took the helm of the merged company. Former Poppe Tyson chief executive officer, Kevin Clark, was named vice chairman of the combined company, then jumped ship to take the CEO position at ScreamingMedia back in November.