Two of New Zealand’s independent agencies, Thompson Spencer and Reason, have announced a merger forming an indie agency group.
Both agencies have operated for 15 years. The newly merged business will be known as Thompson Spencer Group, with both the Reason and Thompson Spencer businesses operating in market under the leadership of Melanie Spencer and Tim Pointer as co-CEOs.
Thompson Spencer is a full-funnel creative and media agency, founded by Wendy Thompson and Melanie Spencer. The agency has a line-up of clients including Bupa, Wattyl (Aus/NZ), Asahi, Honda, London City Airport, Mitre 10, Musashi, Seagrass Hospitality (Global) and Auckland Transport and completed four acquisitions in the last four years including The Social Club (influencer marketing agency); Flying Tiger (Chinese Social Media Marketing Agency), Magnesium (Accredited Media and Content Production Agency) and People of Influence (Talent Agency).
Reason, co-founded by Tim Pointer and Matt Rowe, has a roster of clients including Chubb Life Insurance, Briscoe’s & Rebel Sport, Woolworths, Tourism Holdings (THL), Caci Clinic, Hirepool, CANZ, DoorDash NZ and Australia and Timely.
The merger expands Thompson Spencer Groups’ capabilities, combining digitally-led and ATL creative and media expertise with performance marketing to offer a fully integrated approach focused on delivering measurable results and a full-funnel service for brands looking to the future.
“Most mergers happen when agencies need to consolidate to survive – this is the exact opposite with both businesses coming off the back of record-breaking years of growth despite the challenging economic environment,” Melanie Spencer, co-founder and co-CEO of Thompson Spencer said.
“Both Thompson Spencer and Reason are at the top of their game. We’re growing, winning new business and making waves in our industry. The timing was right – this is about supercharging that momentum by bringing together two high-performing teams that share a bold vision for the future,” Spencer added.
“This is a coming together of strengths. Clients no longer want their creative and media strategies sitting in silos. By merging with Reason, we’re creating an integrated powerhouse that blends world-class creativity with deep performance marketing expertise. We’re setting a new standard for what a modern, independent agency can deliver,” Wendy Thompson, co-founder of Thompson Spencer added.
The merger creates a combined team of 56 industry-leading experts. The group’s Auckland offices have merged while Reason’s Wellington office remains in the capital.
“This is not just about scale – it’s about innovation. We’re four founders who have built our agencies from the ground up and we know what it takes to succeed. Together, we’re going to push the boundaries of what’s possible for our clients,” Matt Rowe, co-founder of Reason said.
“The marketing landscape is evolving rapidly – AI, automation and data-led decision-making are transforming the way brands connect with consumers. By combining both agency’s expertise in performance, strategy and creative, we’re equipping our clients with the best tools to navigate this changing world,” Tim Pointer, co-founder & CEO of Reason added.
“This is just the beginning. We’re not merging to maintain the status quo – we’re here to challenge it,” Spencer added.
