Telefonica Acquires Terra Networks; Digital Ad Revenues Grow by 13% in Peru

In this week’s LATAM Roundup: after announcing the end of its operations in seven countries, Terra Networks announced the selling of their remaining services by Telefonica Brazil for £250m; a recent study presented by IAB Peru revealed that the digital ad market grew by 13% last year in the country, reaching £62m; Ogilvy Brazil launch a new digital unit in partnership with IBM which will use artificial intelligence for campaigns; and André Izay is the responsible for uniting Yahoo and AOL operations in Brazil.

Telefonica Brazil acquires Terra Networks

After terminating their Spanish-speaking operations in seven countries in Latin America, Terra Networks announced the its acquisition by Telefonica Brazil through its subsidiary Telefonica Data (Data) for R$250m (£59m). The acquisition includes the digital publisher, the mobile, advertising and digital services of Terra Networks.

Telefonica Brazil is a giant telco in the country. In the first quarter of the year, its revenues reached R$10.6bn (£2.5bn), more than 30% of the sum coming from mobile services. The trade between the companies was paid in a single instalment, with TData cash. In the official statement, TData reveals plans of expanding digital services in Brazil, the only country in which Terra Networks kept operations, as well as maintaining other telco services such as equipment and network management.

Peruvian Digital Ad Market Grows by 13%

A recent Gfk study brought light to the Peruvian advertising market, which is constantly mentioned as one of the promises for the next few years in terms of growing in the region. IAB Peru presented the numbers of the study, which places the country in the 5th position in the region when comparing sums of investment on digital advertising.

In 2016, revenues with digital advertising in Peru summed up US$80m (£62m), growing by 13% in a year-on-year basis. The amount represents 11.9% of the media investments in the country, behind only TV ads which concentrate more than 50% of the market.

Internet penetration in Peru already surpasses 80% in the middle and upper classes, with Facebook (89%), YouTube (59%) and WhatsApp (59%) in the list of most used services.

Ogilvy Brazil launches new digital unit

Ogilvy Brazil announced start of the local Cognitive Studio, dedicated to create digital solutions using cognitive computing and creative services. Toni Ferreira, general manager of digital strategies, is the lead of the unit whose main goal is to disseminate the digital mindset throughout different departments of the ad agency.

Cognitive Studio is a partnership with IBM, responsible for the “Art Voice” campaign (Voz da Arte, in Portuguese), awarded with three Cannes Lions earlier this year. The campaign used artificial intelligence in a digital assistant for Pinacoteca Museum, in order to create an customised experience for each visitor.

André Izay is the new head of Aol & Yahoo in Brazil

André Izay was nominated as the general manager to integrate Aol and Yahoo operations in Brazil, which locally will operate as a new company called “Oath". Izay is the leader director of Yahoo Brazil since 2008, and is entitled to sync the local teams after the acquisition by Verizon.

In Brazil, the companies have more than 50 products involving content, advertising and platforms. Stella Guillaumon, Aol; and Leonardo Khede and João Binda, Yahoo, are part of Izay’s team. At the moment, the company confirms that all the brands operating in Brazil will keep their normal operations with no discontinuation of products, even though it acknowledges the challenge of conciliating platforms efficiently.