Brian Whipple (left), global CEO, Accenture Interactive and David Droga, founder & creative chairman, Droga5
As it looks to “reinvent” the agency model, management consultancy Accenture has today announced the acquisition of Droga5, the creative shop.
Droga5, which has offices in London and New York, will become part of Accenture Interactive, and joins creative shops Karmarama and Rothco, as well as Fjord and e-commerce specialist Acquity Group in boosting the business’s media and advertising credentials.
“The future of brand building is not just about creating great ideas; it’s about creating great experiences,” said Brian Whipple, global CEO of Accenture Interactive.
“We’re excited to work with David Droga and his team of brand strategists and creative minds to further our ambition to improve the full human experience with brands. As we celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Accenture Interactive, joining forces with Droga5 will be a game-changing milestone for us and the industry as we continue to assemble the right mix of capabilities for the modern-day marketer.”
Founded in 2006, Droga5 has more than 500 employees and has produced award-winning work for Amazon Prime Video, Tourism Australia, The New York Times, and Game of Thrones’ Super Bowl ad. [advert position=”left”]
The agency has been named Agency of the Year 20 times and other clients include Chase, Prudential, Kraft, Hershey, Hennessy and Under Armour.
In a statement, Accenture Interactive said it was accelerating its “mission to reinvent agency” through the acquisition, claiming the move will boost its capabilities as an ‘experience agency’ able to design, build and run customer experiences that grow brands and businesses.
“Since day one, we have worked hard to push our industry forward and, hopefully, make a positive impact for all,” said David Droga, founder and creative chairman, Droga5.
“The world of advertising is changing, and we are excited for this incredible opportunity with a company that will add more dimension to our best ideas and help push us beyond our existing ambitions. The proposition we can bring to market with Accenture Interactive will transform the industry.”
Droga will remain in his role as creative chairman of Droga5, Sarah Thompson will continue as global CEO and Bill Scott will remain as UK CEO, working alongside the rest of the agency’s management team.
Commenting on the deal, media consultant and analyst Alex DeGroote told Mediatel Accenture’s reported blow-out revenues for Q2 19 last week show how the group is continuing to steal market share from the traditional behemoths, WPP, Publicis and Omnicom.
“With an emphasis on data driven marketing, personalisation and UX, Accenture appeals to both the CMO and CIO, and thus a greater share of client wallet,” he said.
“The acquisition of Droga5 will be seen as symbolic by clients and industry watchers alike. And Accenture has a strong balance sheet, so more M&A to be expected.”
The financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.
