Havas UK Unites Cake and Jump Brands to Launch Havas Play UK
Havas UK has announced the integration of its creative agency Cake with the content and partnerships division Jump, resulting in the formation of a new entity called Havas Play UK. Based in London, Havas Play UK will be led by Rosie Holden, the current CEO of Cake, who brings extensive experience from her agency-side and in-house roles with renowned brands like Vans, Adidas, Reebok, Diageo, and PlayStation.
As part of this strategic move, both Cake and Jump brands will be retired. This launch marks the expansion of Havas Play’s established global network into the UK market, consolidating the agency’s expertise in music, sports, culture, and fan activation under a single unified brand. With a team of 100 specialists in areas such as strategy, ideation, activation, production, project management, and distribution, Havas Play UK aims to offer clients comprehensive services in partnerships, influencer marketing, sponsorship, experiential marketing, content creation, and branded experiences.
Existing clients of Cake, including EE, Jaguar Land Rover, Major League Baseball, JBL, and The FA, will continue working with the same teams within the Havas Play setup. Rosie Holden, now the President of Havas Play UK, expressed her pride in leading Cake for the past 4.5 years and emphasized that the transformation into Havas Play is the natural progression for the agency. By joining forces with a talented team across content, media partnerships, and production, and leveraging the resources of the Havas Group and Vivendi, the agency aims to deliver impactful work on a large scale.
Under Rosie Holden’s guidance, Cake witnessed substantial growth, doubling its headcount while maintaining impressive profitability. Patrick Affleck, CEO of Havas Media Network UK & Ireland, to whom Holden will now report, commended the integration of Cake and Jump, envisioning Havas Play as an exciting new agency in the UK that will provide innovative solutions for clients seeking meaningful connections with people’s passions.
Mark Whelan, Chairperson of Havas UK and co-founder of Cake in 1998, praised Rosie’s leadership, stating that she has transformed the agency into an internationally recognized player that remains culturally connected. While the name may change, the spirit of Cake will endure, repurposed, rebooted, and delivering excellence.
Headquartered in Paris, the global Havas Play network operates in 17 markets worldwide, including Australia, the US, France, India, and Mexico. Greg James, the Global Chief Transformation Officer of Havas Media Network, serves as the Global Chair of Havas Play.
