WPP has cut its revenue predictions for 2023 as the tech spending slowdown in the US hit its creative agencies. Analysts break down the results. Falling marketing investment by US tech companies continues to affect large agency groups. And now WPP is feeling the sting. The holding company – the largest employer in the advertising industry – […]
Overexposure to the tech sector is the culprit behind the company’s second warning to investors in a year. The tech winter has continued to bite advertising groups well into the summer. S4 Capital has issued a profit warning to investors, citing “challenging macroeconomic conditions” and technology clients “remaining cautious and very focussed on the short […]
Uncommon’s sale of a majority stake to Havas is a great result for its founders, but might not be quite what it seems, writes Green Square’s Barry Dudley. There’s been plenty written about how Uncommon will ‘bring new energy’ to Havas and the work that made its creative reputation but what of the deal itself, […]
The French holding company has acquired a controlling stake in one of the most successful indie shops in Britain. Havas has acquired a majority stake in creative Uncommon in a deal which values the vaunted London indie at £120m. The deal, Havas boss Yannick Bolloré said, would “bring new energy” into the Havas network and […]
US private equity firm has purchased a majority stake in UK digital ad agency group MSQ, promising further deals. MSQ, the parent company behind design agency Elmwood, and B2B shop SteinIAS, has been acquired by an American private equity firm, One Equity Partners. The group has expanded rapidly in recent years following a cash investment […]
With speculation growing that Vice Media Group is on the brink of bankruptcy, we explore what could become of its creative and content agency. As its parent company seeks a sale to stave off collapse, the future of agency Virtue has been thrown into doubt. The agency employs hundreds of staff across 21 offices worldwide […]
A recent ‘flurry’ of deals for specialist influencer agencies indicates the sector has become important industry crossroads, say M&A experts. British holding company WPP made two significant deals late last month. It acquired Obviously and Goat – both agencies active in the social and influencer space, both in the same week, both with the intention […]
Columnist Nick Berry of M&A advisory practice Green Square sits down with Engage Interactive’s Alex Willcocks to find out what B Corp status has meant for the digital agency. Back in August, I wrote about how environmental and social credentials are an increasingly important value driver and influence on M&A activity. Since then, there is […]
Green Square’s Barry Dudley looks into the performance of the big agency groups following their annual earnings presentation. Our topsy-turvy world continues to spring surprises on us. Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse is the latest shock wave. Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has just announced that another 10,000 redundancies will happen over April […]
As part of our January Predictions series, Green Square partner Barry Dudley gives his take on which agencies will be most attractive to buyers this year – and who those buyers will be. I couldn’t resist it. ChatGPT: What are the predictions for the creative, marketing, media and tech M&A market in 2023? “I am […]