Dentsu Aegis' Merkle buys digital agency in Switzerland and Germany

The Dentsu Aegis Network has announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire Namics, a leading full-service digital agency with offices in Switzerland and Germany. The undisclosed deal will conclude after approval from the German competition authority.

As the consulting industry looks to invest in the (digital) marketing and agency sector, which offers up a lucrative new line in business, a growing succession of firms have purchased agencies with a view to growth in the creative arena. Most recently this saw Capgemini Invent acquire French digital marketing consultancy, while Sia Partners acquired French digital marketing agency Fove earlier in 2018.

The new deal sees Namics become the latest firm to be bought up by a consulting firm. The firm has been purchased by Dentsu Aegis, and following the acquisition, which will complete for an undisclosed amount, subject to approval from the German competition authority, the company will become part of Merkle, a subsidiary of Dentsu Aegis. Merkle is a data-driven, technology enabled, global performance marketing agency that specialises in the delivery of personalised customer experiences across platforms and devices, and so the merged company will take on the full title of ‘Namics - A Merkle Company’.

Founded in 1995, Namics provides consulting, concept development and creative, as well as technical implementation, with a strong focus on user experience. All of Namics' 550 professionals based in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, St. Gallen, Zurich and Belgrade will join Merkle, bringing its EMEA regional employee headcount to over 2,000. Namics’ digital experience, creative and service design expertise complements Merkle’s already significant customer experience (CX) and marketing technology practice in the region.

Giulio Malegori, CEO of Dentsu Aegis EMEA, said, “I am delighted to welcome Namics into our network. This acquisition brings scale to our existing presence in the German and Swiss markets in EMEA. Their services complement Merkle’s unique capabilities, creating a compelling offer that will help clients transform their brands in the digital economy.”

Michael Komasinski, a President in Merkle's EMEA business, added; “This acquisition provides important scale to our business in EMEA, adding new markets and an established service offering that fits perfectly with our existing marketing technology and CX practice. With an enviable client base and a shared vision, Namics accelerates our strategy to extend Merkle’s people-based marketing capabilities across EMEA.”

Meanwhile, Bernd Schopp, CEO of Namics, described the joining of forces as a "fantastic opportunity" for Namics, "as we have a shared vision of helping clients become winners in digital transformation." He added; "Our customer advocacy approach to delivering digital marketing, communication and commerce solutions will be further strengthened by Merkle’s data, analytics and CRM capabilities. This is an incredibly compelling offer to our clients. We are excited about the opportunities this move provides.”

The deal comes hot on the heel of multiple expansions for Merkle. Earlier in 2018, the firm added to its scale in Australia with the acquisition of Amicus, while it also opened new offices in China and in the Middle East. The multiple moves are part of Merkle’s efforts to maintain its rapid growth trajectory, having become one of the fastest expanding agencies in the EMEA region this year.