DDB Worldwide acquires UK's adam&eve!

DDB Worldwide announces today that it has acquired the acclaimed London communications agency adam&eve. The agency will merge within one month with DDB UK to create a new agency, adam&eve/DDB. 

 

This will be a formidable creative force with both agencies having strong creative reputations. adam&eve/DDB will be in the UK’s top 6 by revenue, top 10 by UK media billings.

 

adam&eve/DDB will also be an important hub for the DDB Global network bringing a unique combination of entrepreneurial energy and creative flair to international client opportunities.

 

adam&eve is the most successful start-up of recent years, winning Campaign and Marketing magazines’ Agency of the Year awards in 2010,on the back of strong growth and widely admired and awarded work for John Lewis, Phones 4U, Foster’s and many others.

 

DDB UK has a long pedigree of creative and effective work for clients. It has also strong digital and integrated capabilities, with Tribal one of the leading digital brands in the market.

 

The management team will comprise both the adam&eve partners and members of the DDB UK management team:

 

Chairman – Stephen Woodford

Founder/CEO – James Murphy

Founder/Executive Creative Director – Ben Priest

Founder/Chief Strategy Officer – David Golding

Founder/Chief Comms Strategy Officer – Jon Forsyth

Managing Director, Tribal – Tom Roberts

Executive Creative Director – Emer Stamp

Executive Creative Director – Ben Tollett

 

Announcements about future roles with regard to other individuals in the DDB UK and adam&eve management teams will be made in the coming weeks as the new company is formed.

Terms of the acquisition are confidential. The new company will be based at Bishops Bridge Road.

adam & eve were advised by Clarity (corporate finance), Osborne Clarke (legal) and Kingston Smith W1 (due diligence).

 

Chuck Brymer, DDB Worldwide President and CEO said ‘From the first time we met with James, Ben, David and Jon, I knew adam&eve would be a great fit with the DDB culture, with our UK team and our network.  Their creativity and success to date fits perfectly with our ambitions for London and adds world-class talent to what is already one of our best offices. Joining the two agencies will further strengthen what has always been a creative powerhouse in the London market and globally’.

 

The adam&eve founders commented ‘It is both an honor and an incredible opportunity to be uniting adam&eve with DDB. We have worked tirelessly with an outstanding team to build a successful and creatively regarded communications agency serving big, blue-chip and respected clients. We intend to continue doing so as we lead adam&eve/DDB into a new period, energized with a sense of entrepreneurial drive and creative energy. Our two agencies share a similar culture, ambition and purpose. Together we can unleash the potential of both. It’s a truly exciting moment for us, for our new colleagues and for the UK advertising industry.‘

 

Stephen Woodford, Chairman and CEO of DDB UK said I am delighted that adam&eve have decided to join forces with DDB. I really like them as people, I’ve admired their work since the agency started and the fit between our 2 agencies could not be better in terms of values, talent and clients. Together we will build on the energy and entrepreneurialism of London’s best start-up, by adding DDB’s scale of resources and talent, driven by the creative passion that unites both businesses.’