Our story

Raphaël Palti forms PBE, an advertising and promotional agency, with two emblematic first clients: Etam and Carrefour.

Creation of iconic Carrefour TV advertisements.

Alongside the development of the advertising and promotion agency, the group diversified its business lines: branding, brand image, packaging, design… With new clients came the need for new agencies: Argile (identity, brand image, design, packaging), Coda (promotion), Vista (advertising).

Creation of the Publishing Services division, later to become one of the Group’s core businesses.

First international expansion opens in Spain—in Madrid, then later in Barcelona. Italy would follow in 1997.

Deployment of outsourced publishing management in Europe.

The Altavia brand was created on 09/09/1999 at 9:09 am, whose name carries a double meaning: “the high way”, but also “the other way”. Its logo takes its inspiration from a sculpture by Emilio Gilioli entitled “Sun on the Hill”—the symbol was first used by the artist in the National Monument to the Resistance at the Plateau des Glières in France.

Altavia is now active throughout France, with offices in Paris, Nantes, Lille and Lyon.

Altavia’s European development is gaining momentum: in just 5 years, Altavia set up operations in Brussels, Athens, Istanbul, Warsaw, Prague, Düsseldorf and London.

Altavia China opens its first offices in Beijing and Shanghai, followed by Chengdu and Guangzhou.

After expanding into logistics in 2002, Altavia accelerated its business development with the acquisition of Le Parti du Client, CPO and RVB.

Creation of Altavia Shoppermind, the first research and forecasting laboratory on new consumer trends in France.

Organization of the first Cité du Commerce et de la Consommation, attended by 3,000 participants at ESC-EAP in Paris.

Altavia joins the United Nations Global Compact.

Altavia is the first communications group to be doubly certified FSC ® and PEFC™ in continental Europe.

Altavia’s arrival on the American continent begins with Altavia Canada in Montreal. Internationalization continues its steady pace with new BUs in Europe, as well as in Asia, North Africa and the Middle East.

Altavia launches its retail tech unit.

Altavia accelerates the development of its digital activities through numerous acquisitions in France and abroad: Insitaction, Jetpulp, DISKO, Kamikaze. International expansion continues in 2017 and 2018 with new business units in France, Croatia, Kazakhstan and Africa. Acquisitions of Sumis in the Netherlands and CloudRaker in Canada.

Raphaël Palti, Chairman and Founder of Altavia, is voted “Communications Entrepreneur of the Year 2018” by the Agencies of the Year jury.

International growth.

The Group’s dynamic international expansion continues on several continents with the acquisitions of pan-African digital agency Blue Lions, branding agency Creative Capital and Canadian agency ASK Marketing. In France: Altavia ramps up the diversification of its 360° offering for retailer sales activation with the acquisition of Fil Rouge, a trade marketing agency.

Altavia strengthens its presence in the Middle East with the acquisitions of ODG, a consulting and design agency specializing in retail, and Active Creative, an agency specializing in the luxury goods, cosmetics and fragrances sectors.

In Europe, the Group pursues its strategy of investment in digital and technology with the acquisitions of RS:Media in Germany and digital agency Pixel and Pixel in Spain.

CSR

A member of the United Nations Global Compact since 2008, Altavia confirms in 2019 its “Advanced” status – the highest level of distinction awarded by the Global Compact.

Altavia creates Altavia Consortium, an alternative to traditional agencies, conceived as a marketplace of talents and skills, with service to boot. Headed by Sydney Palti, Altavia Consortium deploys a commando team of experts in digital, communications, design and performance, and collaborates with the best start-ups in Retail Tech.

Altavia creates Altavia Foundation, dedicated to micro-commerce.

Led by Coralie Abram-Palti, Altavia Foundation works to inspire, accompany and support micro-commerce players in the service of social progress. Through Altavia’s international network, Group employees can benefit from skills sponsorship opportunities.

Altavia launches its new international tagline: Retail For Humans

This new signature embodies the Group’s founding principles of radically human and humane business practices.

Creation of Altavia Travel Retail

Backed by an international team of connected specialists on 3 continents, Altavia Travel Retail offers consulting and creative solutions to airport terminal operators, retailers and brands. Thanks to our global and worldwide vision of the travel retail ecosystem, our customers benefit from genuine online/offline expertise to better design each touchpoint of the traveler’s journey.

Established in Saint-Ouen since 1994, Altavia has reinvented its headquarters. This comprehensive project, led by Raphaël Palti, transformed the historic site into a new kind of working and living space, combining new modes of collaboration, a passion for design, respect for architectural heritage and a strong local footing.

Altavia Foundation launches microco.com, the first online platform dedicated to microcommerce as a means of fostering professional integration.

Altavia welcomes For Talents as a shareholder to support the transfer and development of its business.

Altavia Kamikaze joins forces with two of Poland’s best-known agencies: K2 Precise, a media and martech agency, and K2 Create, a creative agency.

Altavia strengthens its travel retail expertise with the acquisition of Asian agency Sina Retail.

Opening of Altavia Israel

On March 21, 2024 Altavia celebrated a changing of hands—Sydney Palti replaced Raphaël Palti as Chief Executive Officer of the Altavia Group.