Amsterdam, 18 August 2008

Grupo LaComunidad launches social media marketing agency SocialMedia8

The Amsterdam based digital branding agency LaComunidad shapes it's international ambitions by introducing SocialMedia8, an internationally operating social media marketing agency. For many years the Amsterdam based agency explores it's interactive boundaries with new ideas and products.

In 2004 LaComunidad developed the viral tracking technology ViralTracker, which in the past years is used to track and optimize over 100 international viral campaigns. In 2006 LaComunidad introduced Viral Revolucion, a complete package including viral commercials, seeding and tracking. In 2007 LaComunidad launched ViralBlog, the blog which currently ranks around the # 100 position in the AdAge Power150 ranking. WPP's GroupM acquired a 75% share in Grupo LaComunidad in February 2008.

Igor Beuker, founder of Grupo LaComunidad and ex-chairman of IAB Netherlands, explains: "In ten years of IAB I've seen many interactive trends. The challenge is to react to these trends in time with new agencies. Due to the excellent results of LaComunidad I have been able to invest in the development of ViralTracker, which had it's international breakthrough in 2007. The insights provided by ViralTracker and the relationship with the worldwide WPP network opened many international doors. Enough to make the final step to a Triple play proposition. The foundation of SocialMedia8 was the logical final step."

SocialMedia8, which claims to be the first worldwide social media marketing agency, is based in Amsterdam. The company is directed by internet veteran Leon Wittenberg and offers international brands and agencies services as viral consultancy, worldwide social media planning, natural seeding in 58 countries, social media optimization (SMO), social media advertising (SMA) and conversational tracking in 27 languages.

SocialMedia8 is a member of the WOMMA organization and seeds conform the WOMMA code of ethics. In the past months the agency made strategic partnerships with several international social publishers like Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and many others. SocialMedia8 launched international social media campaigns for Sumol in Portugal, UPC in five European countries and Nokia in the UK in August 2008.

About LaComunidad

LaComunidad is the Amsterdam-based agency for digital branding. With interactive communication and digital entertainment concepts LaComunidad makes brands more relevant, innovative and attractive. In short, LaComunidad activates and revitalizes brands in the digital era. LaComunidad works for eBay, MTV, Simyo.be, UPC, Univé and Colgate Palmolive. LaComunidad is part of WPP's GroupM. More information: www.LaComunidad.co.uk, www.SocialMedia8.com, www.ViralTracker.com and www.ViralBlog.com.

Visit www.LaComunidad.co.uk to download the LaComunidad logo.

Visit www.SocialMedia8.com to download the SocialMedia8 logo.