Octagon announced the rebranding of all its operating
companies this morning under the single Octagon brand. The
move means that Advantage Int'l and UK-based CSI will change
their names to reflect its Octagon ownership. Octagon has
now divided into four operating companies -- Octagon
Marketing, Octagon Athlete Representation, Octagon CSI and
Octagon Motorsports -- in addition to Octagon Koch Tavares,
a regional partner in Latin America. Octagon CSI is the TV
production and distribution arm. Advantage co-Founder Phil
de Picciotto will serve as Octagon Athlete Representation
President, and Harlan Stone was named President of Octagon
Marketing/North America (Octagon). The SPORTSBUSINESS
JOURNAL's Andy Bernstein writes, "While the changes are
cosmetic in nature, they signal the company's desire to
compete on a global front with giant brand names like IMG
and ISL." Octagon President Frank Craighill: "We really
hope the whole of Octagon is greater than the sum of its
parts" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 9/27). The FINANCIAL TIMES'
Patrick Harverson writes that the move "will emphasize the
importance" that Interpublic, Octagon's parent company,
"places on Octagon," and also makes Octagon "the third
largest sports marketing group behind IMG and ISL." Octagon
Dir Matthew Wheeler said the move is "more important than a
name change -- it's a coming out" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 9/27).
