New global communications network Red Cell has been launched by communications services group WPP to serve the needs of smaller "challenger" brand companies striving for global success.

Mike Doherty, exec vice president, managing director at Red Cell explains that traditional agency methods are too calcified and rigid to move forward in the new economy and don't cater fully to forward-thinking companies.

"The new economy still has global leaders, but now we have global challengers," explains Doherty. "We are focused on companies that used to simply compete domestically, but free trade and technology have shrunk the world and allowed these challengers to compete globally. There really has been no agency network to facilitate these companies competing worldwide -- hence the creation of Red Cell."

The Red Cell network consists of four companies that were already within the realm of WPP: European-based Red Cell Europe, a young agency of over 300 people in European centers including Milan, London, Paris and Dusseldorf; Red Cell Asia, a group that will aim to deliver creative answers to clients' integrated communications needs in the dynamic Asia-Pacific region; Cole & Weber Red Cell, a US-based full-service branding agency that has been in operation since 1931 and is recognised for its unexpected and award-winning work; and Perspectives Red Cell, an integrated marketing communications agency that is driven by curiosity and fresh new ideas, focused on delivering the most appropriate and cost-effective marketing communications solutions to its clients.

"It appeared to us that the world had changed and the advertising agencies had not," explains Doherty, referring to earlier discussions about businesses and clients before forming the Red Cell network.

Doherty understands that new companies have a totally different mindset. "They are much more agile, are digitally wired and understand that they have to be a thought leader because they are not the market leader," says Doherty. "For example, Apple has always been a thought leader even though they have not been a market leader, and newer companies really understand that they need to break from tradition and have to do things differently."

Red Cell will facilitate gathering a global perspective for its clients very quickly by utilising tools like The Eclectic Network to collect creative and strategic global perspectives in a very short period of time, gathering the expertise of today's cultural leaders. Members of The Eclectic Network include Sir Bob Geldof, the producer responsible for the development of Live Aid, eatbigfish, the respected planning consultancy and Doug Lloyd, CEO of Lloyd & Company.

"This is a great tool," explains Doherty. "Clients can gather a global perspective by talking with creative teams in London, Paris and throughout the US, participating through the Internet with a global creative director. In this way they are able to see what each is doing, contribute to each other's ideas as well as contribute to their own ideas. Essentially, you get a global perspective in a very short period of time."

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Red Cell> www.redcellnetwork.com