Havas

Havas: Overview

Havas is one of the world's largest global communications groups, founded in 1835 by Charles-Louis Havas in Paris as the world's first news agency. What began as a translation service for foreign newspapers evolved into an international press agency and eventually became a pioneering force in advertising and marketing communications. In 1851, Havas founded France's first publicity agency, marking the company's entry into the advertising world during France's industrial expansion.

The agency's mission is to make a meaningful difference to brands, businesses, and people. Havas operates through a unique "Village" model, with 73 Havas Villages globally where professionals from creative, media, content, and data disciplines collaborate under one roof to deliver integrated solutions. This structure enables seamless coordination across specialties and ensures clients benefit from holistic, multi-disciplinary expertise.

What sets Havas apart is its ownership model—the company owns all its global offices directly rather than relying on independent partnerships in different markets. This gives Havas true international scale and enables consistent philosophy, approach, and terminology across all regions. The agency serves an impressive roster of global brands and has been recognized with prestigious awards including Cannes Lions Grand Prix, CLIO Awards, and BEA Awards.

With more than 23,000 employees operating across over 100 countries, Havas generated €2.736 billion in revenue in 2024. The agency continues to expand its capabilities in digital, retail, customer experience, and health communications while maintaining its legacy of creative excellence and strategic innovation.

What Services Does Havas Provide?

Havas offers comprehensive marketing and communications services across the full spectrum of brand needs:

Strategy & Consulting

• Business Consultancy & Transformation
• Brand Consultancy & Design

Creative Services

• Creative concept development and execution
• Campaign strategy and planning
• Content creation and production

Media Services

• Media planning and buying
• Media strategy and optimization

Health & Wellness

• Healthcare marketing and communications
• Pharmaceutical brand building
• Health & wellness campaigns

Customer Engagement

• Customer Experience design and optimization
• Customer journey mapping

Communications

• PR, Public Affairs & Corporate Communications
• Crisis management and reputation
• Internal communications

Experiential & Partnerships

• Brand Partnership, Sponsorship & Events
• Live event production and activation
• Sports marketing

Production & Content

• Production & Content at Scale
• Video and multimedia production
• Digital content development

What Industries Does Havas Serve?

Havas works with clients across a diverse range of industries:

Consumer Goods & Retail

• Food and beverage brands
• Beauty and cosmetics
• Fashion and luxury goods
• Retail and e-commerce

Financial Services

• Banking institutions
• Investment firms
• Insurance companies

Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals

• Pharmaceutical brands
• Healthcare providers
• Wellness brands

Technology & Telecommunications

• Consumer electronics
• Technology platforms
• Digital services

Automotive

• Automotive manufacturers
• Mobility services

Travel & Hospitality

• Tourism boards
• Hotel and travel services

The agency has developed particular strength in health and wellness communications, with Havas Life operating as one of the largest health-focused agencies in the industry with approximately 1,800 employees dedicated to healthcare marketing.

What Brands Has Havas Helped?

Havas serves an impressive roster of global brands across multiple industries:

Financial Services

• Fidelity
• PNC Bank
• Santander Bank

Consumer Brands

• Citroën
• Evian
• Burger King France
• Domino's
• Reckitt (Vanish)
• KFC

Technology & Electronics

• Amazon
• Harman/JBL
• Goodyear

Luxury & Fashion

• Dolce & Gabbana
• NYX Professional Makeup

Retail & Consumer Services

• Carrefour
• TripAdvisor

Pharmaceuticals & Health

• Sanofi

Sports & Lifestyle

• adidas
• Canal+

Specialty Brands

• Forevermark DeBeers
• Proximo

Notable Campaign Highlights:

• Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony: Created through Paname 24 (a collaboration of Havas agencies), this landmark event production earned a Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Outdoor Advertising, plus Gold and Silver Lions, Double Gold BEA Awards, and CLIO Gold Winner status
• La Prensa Newspaper: Campaign created by Havas Costa Rica & BETC Havas
• Reckitt - Vanish: Brand campaign by Havas London
• Earswitch: Healthcare innovation campaign by Havas Lynx

Key Differentiators

• Global Village Model: 73 Havas Villages worldwide where creative, media, content, and data professionals collaborate under one roof for integrated solutions
• Historic Legacy: Founded in 1835 as the world's first news agency, bringing nearly 190 years of communications expertise
• Direct Ownership Structure: Owns all global offices directly rather than using partnerships, ensuring consistent philosophy and seamless coordination across markets
• Award-Winning Creative Excellence: Recognition at Cannes Lions (including Grand Prix), CLIO Awards, BEA Awards, and The Drum's World Creative Rankings
• Massive Global Scale: 23,000+ employees across 100+ countries with €2.736 billion in annual revenue
• Integrated Disciplines: Full-service capabilities spanning creative, media, health, events, PR, and customer experience under one umbrella

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