MELBOURNE: Independent creative agency, Smart, has acquired ad agency, The Foundry, which will cease trading under its current name as part of an integration into Smart's Melbourne and Sydney offices.
The deal will see The Foundry managing director, Simon Burrett, become Smart's new managing director, joining Smart's managing partner, Ashley Farr, and CEO Ben Lilley.
The Foundry’s creative director, Annie Price, will assume the role of creative director in Smart’s Melbourne office, working alongside Smart's, executive creative director, John Mescall, and Sydney creative directors, Dan Gregory, and Kieran Flanagan. The acquistion will result in four redundancies at The Foundry's offices, including two people in the finance and admin departments.
Lilley told AdNews the integration into Smart's Sydney and Melbourne operations will create Australia’s largest independent trans-Tasman creative agency.
“Smart and The Foundry have been close competitors across both Sydney and Melbourne for the past several years, often appearing on the same client pitch lists.
"Like Smart, The Foundry is a top-tier agency retaining long-term blue chip clients like Barbeques Galore, Dick Smith Electronics and STIHL, along with recent newer clients like Oporto and Scania Trucks."
Smart has offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Queensland and Auckland. Key clients include Coca-Cola (Aust & NZ), DrinkWise, Specsavers, Horticulture Australia, Betstar and the NSW, Victorian, Queensland and Federal Governments.
The move marks Smart's fourth acquisition in as many years, following Kindred in Sydney, Turner Sands and Logan Meo Walters in Queensland.
Lilley added: “This allows every Smart client to enjoy the benefits of a larger full-service agency structure, with the intimacy and creative edge of a local boutique.”
Smart celebrates its 10th year as a full-service creative agency this year. Lilley said the agency will continue to explore further acquisition opportunities across Australia and New Zealand.
“It’s no secret that over the past decade, a lot of the brightest talent in the industry has left large agencies to establish their own independent operations.
“At a time where larger agency holding companies are turning away from acquisitions to set up and fund organic start-ups, we expect to be able to announce further acquisitions by the end of the year.”
Burrett revealed: “We started serious discussions with Smart a short time ago, and from the outset it became clear that this was an opportunity to create something really powerful.
“The strengths of the two agencies are remarkably complimentary and culturally there is a nice match – it really is a perfect fit."
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