7th April 2025
We are proud to have advised Amplify, a global creative agency specialising in brand experience, entertainment and culture, on its sale to Common Interest.
With over 200 people and offices in London, Paris, NY, LA and Sydney, and having been awarded Campaign’s Brand Experience Agency of the Decade, Amplify is a world leader with clients including Google, Playstation, Nike and Samsung to name a few. Amplify’s subsidiaries, student and youth specialist Seed and business experience agency Wonder, also formed part of the transaction.
Common Interest is a global communications and entertainment group which focuses on connecting brands and audiences through popular culture. Founded by Anthony Freedman, who previously founded Host and One Green Bean which were sold to Havas, the group has been growing rapidly and includes global brand consultancy TwentyFirstCenturyBrand, cultural intelligence platform CultureLab and design and communications studio Otherway.
Anthony Freedman, Founder, Common Interest commented:
“What sets Amplify apart is its creative brilliance. That’s why we wanted them to join us. We’re not here to stifle their creativity – on the contrary, we want to empower them to be even more creative. We want to find the best in each space, and that means bringing in businesses that complement each other. It’s not about creating competition within the group but about building a strong ecosystem where collaboration thrives. Our position as the world’s first group focused on building brands in popular culture is supercharged with the addition of Amplify which brings its proven track record for delivering worldbuilding ideas that blur the line between brand, entertainment, tech and modern media, both globally and locally.”
Jonathan Emmins, Co-Founder, Amplify commented:
“We’ve obviously been independent for a long while now, and really enjoyed our independence. Anthony has always been someone I’ve respected from afar, from Host and One Green Bean days, and Common Interest just felt like the perfect home for us. The ambition, the spirit, and the approach to culture – it just made sense.
We’re here to build something long-term. This is about the next five, 10, and 15 years. We’re excited about the opportunities this partnership brings, not just for Amplify, but for all the businesses in Common Interest.”
Anton Mercier, Co-Founder, Amplify commented:
“I cannot recommend working with Barry and the team at Green Square highly enough. We absolutely couldn’t have done this without them. It’s been a journey and they’ve been with us at every step of the way. Their counsel has been impeccable and not least, it’s been a total pleasure. Barry’s strategic and financial acumen is second to none, only matched by his calm. He has been a true inspiration to me and the team and long may that continue.”
Barry Dudley, Partner at Green Square commented:
“We’ve worked with Amplify for a number of years and it’s been a pleasure to witness their transition into what is in my opinion the world’s premier brand experience agency. Anton, Jonathan and the broader leadership team were a pleasure to work with and, in Common Interest, we’ve found an amazing fit and the perfect home for the next chapter of their journey. We’re so excited to see what they will do together, it’s going to be spectacular.”