Focus Multimedia rebrands to Sensis.

Focus Multimedia, a Los Angeles-based interactive advertising agency that specializes in multicultural advertising, announced that it is changing its name to Sensis.

“The new name plays off the homonyms of ‘census’ and ‘senses,’” said Jose Villa, CEO and founder of Sensis. “With the word ‘census,’ we define who we target by acknowledging that minority and diverse segments are quickly becoming a collective majority. The word ‘senses’ suggests how the Internet and interactivity create a sixth sense that provides new stimuli to the entire population. The new brand demonstrates how this agency has grown during the past nine years and where it will take our clients in the future. We believe we can lead a movement of interactive advertising to tap the maximum economic potential of diverse audiences online.”

“Companies are using traditional media, if any, to target minority groups. However, collectively, these niche markets’ purchasing decisions play a huge role in the success of every major corporation. You can no longer rely on traditional means to hit these markets. It simply isn’t enough,” Villa said. “With trillions of dollars on the line, companies must find an agency that understands how the cultural and social behaviors of these groups are affected by new media and can successfully engage these underserved markets using new platforms.”

In coordination with its rebranding, Sensis has launched a new interactive Web site (www.SensisAgency.com) as a resource for the multicultural interactive advertising industry. Included on the site is the Sensis Bureau, a question and answer tool that provides unique statistics to visitors and collects useful data for Internet market research. The new site will eventually be personalized, allowing each visitor to have a different experience when browsing the Web site. In addition, the site will provide daily commentary on industry trends, news and off-beat happenings at Sensis via employee blogs.