Merkle’s Dentsu Aegis Network acquires DWA digital media and marketing agency

Dentsu Aegis NetworkDentsu Aegis Network has acquired the global B-to-B digital media and marketing agency, DWA. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Established in 1996, DWA applies expertise in ad-tech, real-time insight, and management decision support to a range of integrated, global media including Programmatic, Search, Social, and Demand Generation.

The move will expand the B-to-B offering at people-based marketing agency, Merkle, increasing existing capabilities and offering brands in the technology and B-to-B sectors greater sophistication, integrated technology, data, creativity, and performance marketing. The new business will be branded “DWA, a Merkle company”.

David Williams, President and CEO of Merkle, said, “There’s a growing group of enterprise level, B-to-B and technology businesses, all moving at breakneck pace to adopt the best advertising solutions and platforms. DWA’s client list reflects a clear early-mover advantage. The shift toward people-based marketing, led by Merkle, is as relevant in B-to-B as it is elsewhere. This acquisition will strengthen our ability to deliver those capabilities for B-to-B clients, at scale.”

USA, New York, NY & San Francisco, CA

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WPP acquires Medialets in the US

wppWPP announces has acquired Medialets Inc., creator of technology that helps marketers manage and measure the complete return on investment of mobile ad campaigns.   The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Medialets’ clients include American Express, HBO, Johnson & Johnson and SKY Sports television. The company employs almost 50 people and is based in New York with sales operations in Los Angeles, Chicago and London. Medialets was founded in 2008.

UK, London & USA, New York, NY

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WPP to acquire minority stake in FlowNetwork in Sweden

wppWPP is to acquire a minority stake in FlowNetwork, a Swedish broadcast content provider. FlowNetwork delivers its programmes via the internet and supplies Sweden’s regional newspapers with technology and content.

Newspapers served by FlowNetwork include Norrköpings tidningar, Folkbladet, Motala Vadstena Tidning, Norrländska Socialdemokraten, Östgöta Correspondenten, Norrbottens-Kuriren, Västervik-Tidningen, Hela Gotland and UNT. FlowNetwork is co-producer of the new Swedish drama series “Gåsmamman”.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

UK, London & Sweden

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WPP’s Wunderman acquires majority stake in digital marketing agency Phantasia in Peru  

wppWPP’s wholly-owned operating company Wunderman has acquired a majority stake in Binarix S.A.C. (“Phantasia”), a leading digital marketing agency in Peru. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Phantasia’s gross revenues for 2014 are expected to be S/.22.2 million. Clients include Telefonica, Backus, Banco de Credito, Samsung and Coca-Cola. Phantasia employs 200 people and is based in Lima. The agency, which provides consulting, digital marketing, creative and media buying services to its clients, was founded in 1998. It has been a Wunderman affiliate since 2012.

UK, London & Peru, Lima

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WPP leads US$250 million investment round in George Pyne’s Bruin Sports Capital 

wppWPP is leading a syndicate investing $250 million in Bruin Sports Capital, a global sports marketing firm launched by George Pyne, the former President of IMG Worldwide’s global sports and entertainment business.

Bruin Sports Capital will build its portfolio organically, as well as through acquisitions and investments in established sports marketing businesses, sports federations, leagues and franchises. WPP will have a preferred partnership arrangement with Bruin Sports Capital that will allow its operating companies’ clients access to unique media and sponsorship opportunities in sport.

“WPP’s investment in sports and sports content through Bruin Sports Capital is an important part of its strategy, as it impacts new markets, new media, data investment management and the application of technology and horizontality,” said Sir Martin Sorrell, Founder and CEO of WPP.  “George is a major talent in the sports business world and based on his track record, I’m confident that the clients who work with WPP’s operating companies will be given access to many high-value media and sponsorship opportunities. GroupM, our wholly owned media investment management company, manages over US$100 billion in billings (according to RECMA) and there is growing interest on the part of clients to invest some of that portfolio in content and sport.”

UK, London & USA, New York, NY

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WPP acquires digital agency Clarus in Mexico

wppWPP is to acquire the assets of Maka Marketing Digital S.A. de C.V. and Clarus Digital S.A. de C.V. (“Clarus”), a digital marketing agency in Mexico.

Clarus’ 2014 revenues should reach MXN$ 108 million. Clients include Telcel, Citi-Banamex, Aeromexico, and Sigma Alimentos. The agency, which now employs 112 people, was founded in 2009 and provides full-service digital marketing and media buying capabilities to its clients. It is based in Mexico City.

UK, London & Mexico, Mexico City

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WPP increases its stake in IBOPE, Latin America’s data investment management group

wppWPP’s wholly-owned media research and analytics business, Kantar Media, is to acquire the entire issued quota capital of IBOPE Participações Ltda, which holds a majority of the capital of IBOPE Pesquisa de Midia e Participações Ltda, IBOPE Latinoamericana SA and IMI.com (collectively the “IBOPE Media Group”).  WPP has been a minority shareowner in the IBOPE Media Group since 1997.

In addition, WPP will acquire the remaining 45% stake that it does not already own in Millward Brown do Brasil Ltda,  a market research agency,  already part of Kantar.  The Group will also acquire a 49% stake in IBOPE Inteligȇncia Pesquisa e Consultoria Ltda, the best-known political and social polling brand in Latin America.

Founded in 1942 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as The Brazilian Institute of Public Opinion and Statistics, IBOPE is a provider of insight, information and data in the Brazilian and Latin American markets.  The IBOPE Media Group employs over 2,200 people in offices in 16 countries,  throughout Latin America and the United States. 

For the year ending 30 September 2013, IBOPE Media’s gross revenues were R$392 million, with gross assets of R$225 million as at the same date. Clients include media owners, investors and marketing communications agencies.  

Commenting on the deal, Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO, WPP said:  “I’m very pleased to welcome our long-standing partners at IBOPE fully into the WPP group. This acquisition further strengthens our capabilities in data investment management and at the same time in an important fast growth region. We intend to accelerate and deepen IBOPE’s investment plans in Latin America, enabling us to offer regional clients the critical data they need, both in stand-alone media research and also in ways that combine media and purchase data to even more powerful effect. “

UK, London & Brazil, Rio de Janeiro

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JWT New Zealand acquires Heyday, a New Zealand digital agency  

wppWPP company JWT New Zealand has acquired a majority stake in Heyday, an independent digital agency based in Wellington, New Zealand.

Founded in 2000, Heyday is one of New Zealand’s most comprehensive and respected digital agencies. The company’s services include digital strategy, visual design, user experience design, content development, digital film, smartphone applications and web application development. Key clients include ANZ Bank; Trade Me, New Zealand’s largest Internet-auction website; and Z Energy.

For the year ending 31 March 2014, Heyday’s revenues were NZD 4.0 million, with gross assets of NZD 1.7 million, as at the same date. The company employs 35 people.

UK, London & New Zealand, Wellington

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WPP’s POSSIBLE acquires digital agency Swift in the US

wppWPP’s wholly-owned company POSSIBLE, a creative digital agency, has acquired The Swift Collective, Inc. in the United States.

Swift is a digital agency that specializes in creative and strategy, branded content creation and social media.

Swift’s revenues for 2014 will be over US$13 million and its clients include HTC Corporation, Starbucks, Nestle USA and REI. Based in Portland, Oregon, Swift employs over 70 people.

UK, London & USA, Portland, OR

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Ogilvy & Mather acquires Gloo Digital Design in South Africa

ogilvyWPP’s wholly-owned marketing communications network, Ogilvy & Mather, has acquired Gloo Digital Design, a South African digital design agency, specialising in creative campaign solutions for all sectors across the digital media space.

Founded in 2005, with offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg, Gloo is one of South Africa’s most awarded digital agencies and has been named Digital Agency of the Year, every year for the past seven years, by Financial Mail’s AdFocus Awards. Gloo’s audited revenues for the financial year ended June 2014 were ZAR 70.5 million with gross assets as at the same date of ZAR 27.5 million.

UK, London & South Africa, Cape Town

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