GroupM to give brands access to Line's 212 million users

The company said the deal will allow brands to reach Line's user base in real-time, in a trusted environment that users tap into multiple times per day, adding that Line's policies ensure no fake accounts exist.

GroupM said the "multifaceted" agreement commences immediately and is one of many new media partnerships it is establishing to support clients. Campaign Asia-Pacific has reached out to GroupM for additional details on the forms of advertising that will be available and what if anything the deal grants to GroupM on an exclusive basis.

“Clients look to us for the most innovative ways to reach their audiences across Asia Pacific,” Mark Patterson, CEO of GroupM Asia Pacific said in a release. “Line is one of the fastest-growing natively developed social-media platforms in Asia and is undeniably an important new vehicle for consumer engagement."

GroupM's agencies are already including the platform in client media plans, and the company "engineered" the partnership to make Line"work harder for their brands.”

According to GroupM, the deal offers clients a competitive advantage through "efficient pricing, quick access to new advertising products and specialised training to support appropriate implementation based on unique platform characteristics and user preferences".  

“Through this partnership with GroupM, we will connect even more brands with consumers,” said Sintaro Tabata, senior vice president and head of corporate sales with Line. Training sessions will instruct marketers in the most effective tactics for Line’s unique environment, Tabata added.

“Line’s closed nature appeals to consumers who favour a more private social networking experience, and by connecting reliable brands with users in this implicitly trusted setting, GroupM and LINE will help our clients reach users in a fun, yet unobtrusive manner,” Nick Bins, deputy head of trading with GroupM Asia Pacific, said in a release.