AGENCY.COM: Launching Internet operations

by Meredith Johnston | May 25, 2000 7:00:00 AM

Tags: Meredith Johnston

Takeaway: It's always good to know the who's who in business, but AGENCY.COM also knows the how's how. This consultant firm launches businesses into the new Internet technology world. Find out how!

20 Exchange PlaceNew York, NY 10005212-358-2600
Since 1995, AGENCY.COM has been on a mission to propel today’s top and upcoming businesses into the endless realms of the Internet. Serving a diverse group of companies and industries, AGENCY.COM focuses on giving its clients a competitive edge by providing them with interactive customer capabilities, IT know-how, and the projected outcome that this use of the Internet will have on their business.

AGENCY.COM's Internet expertise helps its clients achieve effective communication with and offers quick transactions to its customers. AGENCY.COM accomplishes this task in different ways:

• Advises clients on online business models
• Advises clients on online distribution strategies
• Offers creative services for online branding
• Advises on Web site design and structure
• Offers hardware and software recommendations
• Provides all-around electronic commerce support and advice

Where do these ideas come from?
The two cofounders of AGENCY.COM are veterans in the IT field.

• Chan Suh—The cofounder, CEO, and chairman, Suh was once the marketing director for VIBE magazine, where he had his hands in the launching of Pathfinder—Time Warner’s service on the Internet.
• Kyle Shannon—AGENCY.COM's other cofounder and chief people officer, Shannon was a manager of image processing for YAR Communications, a company specializing in multicultural communications. Shannon also launched one of the first online art and culture magazines, Urban Desires.

The combination of these two resulted in the creation of a business that has not only flourished itself, but has also helped over 200 companies, including some of Business Week’s “Global 1000” list, to do the same.

Client list
Out of the many businesses that AGENCY.COM has pushed into this new world of technology, there are a few you might recognize:

• 3M
• British Airways
• Colgate-Palmolive
• Compaq
• DIRECTV

Along with these household names, AGENCY.COM has also worked on the Motorola site, and in May was awarded a bronze medal at the Icon Awards for its work.

Revenues up
The first quarter of 2000 for AGENCY.COM was significantly better than the first quarter of 1999.
A few highlights of AGENCY.COM's first quarter

Along with these highlights, AGENCY.COM has also had:

• Non-U.S. business growth of 29 percent in revenues.
• Revenue generating from companies other than dot coms up to 93 percent.
• A positive cash Earnings Per Share of $.02.

Some info you need to know about AGENCY.COM

• IPO date was Dec. 8, 1999, with 5.9 million shares sold at $26.
• “ACOM” is the symbol for AGENCY.COM and is listed on NASDAQ.
• You cannot buy stock directly from the company.
• As of Dec. 31, 1999, 1,100 people worked for AGENCY.COM.

Meredith Johnston is a regular TechRepublic contributor. She's a published author and enjoys taking road trips to the Sunshine State.

If you have a comment about this article, please post a comment below or send the editor an e-mail.