Saatchi & Saatchi Acquires All Of MercerBell
Ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi has acquired 100 per cent of customer experience agency MercerBell.
The Sydney-based MercerBell business was founded by Nick Mercer and David Bell in 1999. It has grown to 65 people with clients including Toyota, Foxtel, Qantas, BT, Allianz and the ASX.
The new partnership allows Saatchi & Saatchi to offer clients a deeper capability in digital, data analytics, direct marketing and customer experience marketing through MercerBell.
CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi, Michael Rebelo said: “Clients rightly are looking for deeper capability and scale from their agency partners to provide a specialist range of marketing solutions. This partnership enhances the scope in the strategic advice and ideas we can offer our clients across the entire customer journey.
“We think having a creative agency and CX agency under the one roof feels like an interesting model for clients.”
The partnership with Saatchi & Saatchi provides MercerBell with the opportunity to expand its offering outside of Australia. This acquisition creates immediate opportunities to expand its reach in the region and within the Publicis Communications group of companies in Australia.
Both Rebelo and Mercer say the partnership is about the pursuit of growth rather than the pursuit of commercial synergies.
Nick Mercer CEO of MercerBell, commented: “We have a history of working with Saatchi & Saatchi on Toyota Australia and know the businesses are a strong cultural fit. Through our partnership we will also be able to give our respective teams further opportunity to widen their knowledge and experience, building the strength of our combined offer.”
David Bell, executive creative director, added: “I’m very excited about the creative opportunities this union will bring for both our clients and staff. As Arthur Sadoun the newly appointed CEO of Publicis Communications recently said;
“We stand for creative excellence. It must remain our top priority.”
What a joy it is to be partnering with such an impressive communications group. The MercerBell team lead by Nick, Dave and MD Julie Dormand will continue to operate under the existing brand name and will relocate to Saatchi & Saatchi’s George Street offices.
Image: Left to Right: Nick Mercer, CEO MercerBell, Julie Dormand, MD MercerBell, David Bell ECD MercerBell, Michael Rebelo CEO Saatchi & Saatchi
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