CHICAGO, Jan. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Interpublic
Group (NYSE: IPG) today announced it has acquired FUSE, a digital
and interactive agency based in the UK, that will become part of
GolinHarris network, one of its global communications agencies.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Established in 2004 by three former architecture students, FUSE
blends the art of design with the power of technology to create
unique and engaging digital experiences. The agency counts
Unilever, Bissell, Tia Maria, Top
Trumps and Dove among its clients. It has offices in London and San
Francisco. FUSE will merge its employees and operations with
GolinHarris' offices in London but
will retain its name. Founders Doug
Ayres, Simon Hobbs and
Jon Meggitt will lead FUSE and
report to Jonathan Hughes,
president, GH International.
Harris Diamond, chief executive
officer of Interpublic's Constituency Management Group, which
includes GolinHarris, commented about the deal: "GolinHarris has
been on a tremendous growth trajectory. The acquisition of FUSE
enhances and complements its current digital and interactive
capabilities."
"This acquisition is a critical element of our strategy for the
future," said Fred Cook, CEO of
GolinHarris. "FUSE will significantly strengthen our digital,
interactive and creative offerings. As the lines between PR,
digital and advertising continue to blur, these added capabilities
will allow us to deliver more fully integrated client campaigns
that span earned, owned, shared and paid media."
"We've been enjoying great success in the last few years so it
was going to take something pretty special to make us consider a
change," said Jon Meggitt, FUSE
co-founder. "Our visions for the future were also uncannily similar
to Golin's when we first shared them with each other, and with
their new g4 model it is clear that GolinHarris is leading the
way."
Last June, GolinHarris announced a major organizational redesign
to address the increasing influence of digital and social media in
communications. The agency's new model, called g4, is built around
four global teams of dedicated specialists - strategists, creators,
catalysts and connectors – that are embedded in every client
campaign and relationship.
"We are thrilled to have FUSE join Golin," said Jonathan Hughes, president, International.
"We've been working with FUSE as a partner for quite a while.
They've developed some of the most unique online user experiences
we've seen, and they continue to push digital boundaries. They're
incredibly creative, highly talented and fun to work with. We look
forward to welcoming them to the GH family."
About Interpublic
Interpublic is one of the world's leading organizations of
advertising agencies and marketing services companies. Major global
brands include Draftfcb, FutureBrand, GolinHarris International,
HUGE, Initiative, Jack Morton Worldwide, Lowe and Partners,
MAGNAGLOBAL, McCann Erickson,
Momentum, MRM Worldwide, Octagon, R/GA, UM and Weber Shandwick.
Leading domestic brands include Campbell Ewald; Campbell Mithun;
Carmichael Lynch; Deutsch, a Lowe and Partners Company; Gotham
Inc.; Hill Holliday; ID Media; Mullen and The Martin Agency. For
more information, please visit www.interpublic.com.
About GolinHarris
GolinHarris is a holistic communications firm designed and built
to help clients win in a complex, connected society. In 2011, we
completely redesigned our agency to combine strategy, creativity
and engagement into one seamless package that is delivered to
clients – big and small. Our organizational model, called g4,
provides clients with a dedicated team of specialists, including
strategists, creators, connectors and catalysts, who are embedded
in every account.
Our core practices include consumer marketing, corporate
communications, digital and social media, corporate social
responsibility, healthcare, internal communications, multicultural
marketing, technology and public affairs.
Since 1956, GolinHarris has delivered results for clients such
as McDonald's, Dow Chemical Company, Florida Department of Citrus,
Kaiser Permanente, Nintendo of America Inc., Johnson and Johnson,
Texas Instruments and Unilever. Recognized as
PRWeek's 2010 Large PR Agency of the Year and 2009 Asia
Pacific PR Consultancy of Year, GolinHarris was also named one of
Ad Age's 2012 Agencies to Watch. GolinHarris has also been named a
2011 Best Large Agency to Work For by The Holmes Report and
a Best Place to Work by Ad Age, the Los Angeles Business
Journal, the Dallas Business Journal, The Sunday
Times, Crain's New York,
Chicago Tribune and the National Association of Business
Resources. The agency has 38 offices in the Americas, Europe, the Middle
East and Asia, is
headquartered in Chicago and is a
subsidiary of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). For more
information, visit www.golinharris.com.
About Fuse
Established in 2004 and based in London, Fuse is creative digital agency that
designs and develops digital experiences for some of the world's
biggest brands, including Unilever, Top Trumps, Bissell and Tia Maria, to name a few. For
more information, visit http://www.fuse.co.uk/.
Media Contacts
US
Kathy Maiorana +1 312 729 4246 |
kmaiorana@golinharris.com
UK
Matt Neale +44 20 7067 0276 |
mneale@golinharris.com
SOURCE Interpublic Group