CHICAGO, Aug. 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, FCB
Chicago took a leap forward in building its business offering with
the acquisition of premier environmental design firm, Chute
Gerdeman. The Columbus, Ohio-based
firm will now align with FCB/RED, its award-winning retail and
shopper marketing division, to deliver full omnichannel retail
marketing and connected physical branded experiences.
The acquisition is a significant one. FCB/RED offers its clients
expertise in retail marketing, branded content and experiences,
activation and digital. It has often worked with third-party teams
to provide full store environmental design scale and build out.
Chute Gerdeman, with a core competency in the retail and restaurant
categories, fills this space in FCB/RED's offerings and brings a
proven track record of retail design innovation for well-known
brands around the world over its 28-year history.
The newly expanded retail and shopper marketing division will be
led by Tina Manikas, president of
FCB/RED, and is poised to become a dominant player in the industry
while also enhancing the overall offering FCB provides to existing
and potential clients.
"We're thrilled to have the Chute Gerdeman team come together
with our retail and shopper marketing division," said Manikas. "As
a recognized industry leader, they bring a unique offering and
distinguished track record of creating branded environments that,
when paired with our capabilities, will allow us to deliver
seamless experiences that that keep the shopper at the heart of
everything we do."
FCB/RED and Chute Gerdeman first teamed up in 2016 and began to
work together on several new business opportunities. The ongoing
partnership made the business move a natural one that would
ultimately bolster each team's capabilities.
"Creating Chute Gerdeman and growing the company has been my
life's work," said Denny Gerdeman,
chairman of Chute Gerdeman. "The people here have been essential to
its success and I owe it to them to ensure a path forward. FCB/RED
acquiring Chute Gerdeman creates a way to do just that. This is an
opportunity for our team to expand their already vast retail and
restaurant knowledge all while exposing them to new methods of
strategy and design."
Although the FCB/RED and Chute Gerdeman teams will now come
together more seamlessly on retail shopper marketing initiatives,
Chute Gerdeman will retain its name and Columbus office, as well as its full
complement of strategic, creative and implementation teams.
Since its founding in 1989 by Elle
Chute and Denny Gerdeman,
Chute Gerdeman has risen to become a global leader in retail
environmental design, creating customer experiences for hundreds of
the world's most recognizable brands. Their work has secured more
than 175 awards to date, earning its place as a leading design firm
within the industry.
"This partnership will allow for more opportunities to
effectively and proactively engage and solve the challenges of
retail today," adds Brian Shafley,
CEO, Chute Gerdeman. "Chute Gerdeman's proven ability to deliver
best-in-class physical experiences connecting with shoppers
corresponds perfectly with FCB/RED's shopper marketing and insights
expertise."
The acquisition also highlights the evolution of today's retail
industry and the value in offering an end-to-end retail solution
for companies with a brick-and-mortar presence. As brick-and-mortar
retail continues to merge with online experiences, customers are
still visiting physical locations on their path to purchase, often
finalizing their retail transactions in store as opposed to
online.
"Over the past several years, we've seen significant growth of
our business," said Michael
Fassnacht, president and CEO, FCB Chicago. "We're confident
the alignment between Chute Gerdeman and FCB/RED will not only
continue that momentum, but also provide a comprehensive solution
for clients searching for retail and shopper marketing offerings,
while also benefitting the FCB network. We look forward to the
great work and partnership."
About FCB/RED
FCB/RED is the global, shopper-first
brand agency of FCB. "RED" stands for our core expertise in Retail,
Engagement and Digital. Top-ranked, approaching 40 years of
award-winning shopper marketing, branded experience, digital,
activation and relationship-marketing success, we operate globally
with specialists and integrated communications experts in 80+
markets, across all channels. Learn more
at www.FCBRED.com and follow us on social media (Twitter:
@FCB_RED; Instagram: @fcbred).
About FCB
FCB (Foote, Cone & Belding) is an
award-winning, fully integrated marketing communications agency
focused on creative ideas that have the power to transform brands,
businesses and communities. With more than 8,000 people from 120
offices in 80 countries, the network brings a strong understanding
of local markets and cultures while continuing a heritage of
creativity and success dating from 1873. FCB is part of the
Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE:IPG). Learn more
at www.fcb.com or on social media (Twitter/Instagram:
@FCBglobal, Facebook/LinkedIn: FCB Global).
About Chute Gerdeman
Chute Gerdeman is a global leader
in retail innovation, insights, and design. Established in 1989 by
Denny Gerdeman and Elle Chute, Chute Gerdeman cemented its standing
in retail and restaurants by creating transformative business
solutions and building a staff of experts working to change the
face of those industries. CG has created immersive experiences for
hundreds of the world's best brands. "Proven with an impressive
track record of successful client engagements, Chute Gerdeman has
become one of the most respected design agencies in the
world. Learn more at www.chutegerdeman.com
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SOURCE FCB Chicago