Dentsu Aegis Network acquires DWA and HelloWorld

Dentsu Aegis Network has acquired the global B2B digital media and marketing agency DWA. Established in 1996, DWA is headquartered in San Francisco, with eight additional offices around the world. It has also acquired Detroit based HelloWorld a digital marketing solutions provider, focused on promotion and loyalty solutions.

HelloWorld has developed a differentiated practice that links response-driven consumer promotion with loyalty strategies and program execution. The company operates at the intersection of data, technology, and marketing strategy, enabling marketers to more effectively engage consumers and drive desirable emotional and behavioral response.

HelloWorld creates promotional and gamified campaigns to spark interest, loyalty programs to retain and reward, insights-driven communications to continue the brand-consumer conversation, and analytics to optimize marketing execution. Long-standing clients include Coca Cola, Johnson & Johnson, and Microsoft.

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. Its approach has delivered success for a diverse group of enterprise clients, including Sprint, NetApp, Cisco, DXC, Salesforce, Oracle and Informatica.

Dentsu Aegis acquires SVG Media

Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN), a global digital marketing major headquartered in London, UK, has acquired Indian marketing services group SVG Media Pvt. Ltd in an all cash deal. Smile Group owns majority stake in SVG Media, which counts Xplorer Capital as an institutional backer.

SVG Media was founded in 2006 as a business owned by Smile Group, that runs a slew of e-commerce and internet businesses. SVG Media has four business units, namely DGM (focused on banking, financial service and e-commerce clients), Komli (premium digital marketing through Facebook and Twitter), SeventyNine (mobile-focused advertising platform) and Tyroo (ad-tech platform similar to InMobi), together reaching over 150 million unique viewers in India. It has offices in Gurgaon, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru.

As part of the deal, Smile Group has sold DGM, Komli and SeventyNine (under SVG Media) to DAN. Tyroo, which is retained, is transferred to a separate legal entity and will continue to be owned by Smile Group. SVG Media had acquired Komli Media and SeventyNine in August 2015 and December 2014, respectively, and DGM in 2010.

For DAN this comes as their 10th acquisition in India since 2012, according to data shared by the company. Some of these include Fractal Ink Design Studio, Happy Creative, WATConsult, Webchutney and Taproot. Just recently, it closed the acquisition of Grant Group, a 59-year old family run advertising services company in Sir Lanka. DAN was formed in 2012 through the acquisition of Japanese advertising giant Dentsu by British media buying Aegis Media in 2012.

Part of Dentsu Inc., DAN is made up of 10 global network brands: Carat, Dentsu, Dentsu media, iProspect, Isobar, mcgarrybowen, Merkle, MKTG, Posterscope and Vizeum. Headquartered in London, it operates in 145 countries worldwide with more than 38,000 dedicated specialists.

Dentsu Aegis Network acquires Grant Group

Dentsu Aegis Network has entered the Sri Lanka market by acquiring the 59 year old family run integrated advertising Grant Group. In South Asia, Sri Lanka becomes the second market after India where Dentsu Aegis Network has an equity holding.

Established in 1958 by Deshabandu Reggie Candappa also known as the godfather of advertising in Sri Lanka – the Grant Group offers services across creative, media, outdoor, content and public relations. In 1993, it became an associate of Interpublic Group of Companies (ICG) owned advertising agency McCann Erickson. The group currently employs 150 people across seven entities under two main groups: Grant Advertising and Grand Media.

Post-acquisition, Grant Advertising will be rebranded as Dentsu Grant while Grant Media will join Dentsu Aegis global media network brand, Carat. Other Global agency brands within the network will integrate with their local agency counterparts stated a statement. Grant group services over 60 local and international clients including some of Sri Lanka’s largest advertisers including Ceylon Biscuits, Sampath Bank, telecommunication firm Dialog Axiata, dairy company Fonterra and Sri Lanka tea Board among others.

Part of Dentsu Inc., Dentsu Aegis Network is made up of 10 global network brands – Carat, Dentsu, Dentsu Media, iProspect, Isobar, mcgarrybowen, Merkle, MKTG, Posterscope and Vizeum and supported by its specialist/multi-market brands. Headquartered in London, it operates in 145 countries worldwide with more than 38,000 dedicated specialists.