Izzet Pinto: “Global Agency is a brand with personality”

In 2021, Global Agency is celebrating the 15th anniversary of the company’s foundation. The firm has become one of the world’s leading TV content distributors. It offers a broad portfolio of powerful dramas and innovative formats that continue to capture the imagination of audiences worldwide.

“It has been so fast. It is hard to believe that 15 years have passed. I set up my company just one month before Mipcom 2006, with only one project in our catalog, a reality show. The first two years were all about evolving that one show. Still, in 2008 I started to represent Turkish dramas, which then became a worldwide phenomenon,”  Izzet Pinto, Founder and CEO of Global Agency, told Señal News.

Growing quickly to encompass more than 150 projects, Global Agency has enjoyed international hits with hard-hitting dramas such as “1001 Nights,” “Magnificent Century,” “Broken Pieces,” and “Mother”. It draws upon a rich pool of creativity, and it has diversified into formats such as lifestyle, talent, dating, and game shows, achieving success with programs such as “Shopping Monsters,” “Keep Your Light Shining,” “Perfect Bride,” and “The Remix”.

“Our main achievement has been the boom of Turkish drama. At the same time, some of our formats have become successful, especially in Europe. For example, our best-selling format ‘Shopping Monsters’ has been on air in France for many years, with hundreds of episodes. Something similar happened in Germany. Our original formats are also big achievements for us,”  Pinto commented.

Global Agency has represented more than 20 domestic and foreign TV channels and more than 90 production companies, making sales to a total of 136 countries. Over 100.000 hours of series have been sold in the last ten years. It has signed more than 2.500 license agreements over the previous 15 years, with more than 1.500 in the last five alone. The company has also delivered more than 5.000 hours of premium content while developing a solid marketing presence in the industry.

“Global Agency is a brand with personality. We have always created a good name behind it, including our team’s reputation. This company is essential for us. It is not only about how good business you do, but how people trust your brand, and that is an achievement for us,”  the Founder and CEO of Global Agency noted.

For one decade and a half, the company’s strategy has changed a lot, although Pinto considers one thing always remained the same: the investment in brands. “We invest most of our income in marketing and building huge brands around a project. In big markets, such as Mipcom, people see our brand everywhere, with big parties, in-door campaigns, or out-door campaigns,”  he said.

At the same time, with so many years in business, the company has been no stranger to numerous changes that occurred in the industry. “One of the biggest changes has been the increase in drama production. When I started the company, the format business was a trend; everyone was producing them. That evolved into dramas lately. Now, instead of formats, we see scripted projects. Also, with the launch of big digital platforms, the entertainment industry has grown a lot,”  he analyzed.

Looking forward, Global Agency is all about keeping the momentum, but the company also has plans to expand its business areas. “Maintaining our growth is a key for us. We would also like to increase the number of originals that we own. Maybe, in the future, we could test production. In that case, we could try with formats, as they are easier to produce than a drama. Formats are how we started, so they have always motivated us,” Pinto concluded.

By Federico Marzullo