Julia Crawley-Boevey comments on WPP’s acquisition of The Group

Julia Crawley-Boevey, manager, Results International comments:

“The Group is a leading corporate communications agency that builds reputation online. Its digital expertise is an excellent complement to WPP-owned corporate communications specialist addison that provides services both on and offline.

Moreover recent legislation means that digital now plays an ever greater role in corporate reporting and demands that every business specialising in the discipline bolster their digital and social media offer to clients.

Recently voted digital agency of the year 2012, The Group is the UK’s leading online corporate communications agency, with over £6m of revenue and c.70 staff.

WPP has made very few acquisitions in the UK in recent times, so its purchase of The Group is an interesting one. Like each of the networks, WPP is on a mission to future-proof its business and building its digital offer plays a vital role in doing this. The Publicis Omnicom merger was definitely about that. With Sir Martin Sorrell knocked unceremoniously from his number one position we can be sure he will be looking at every possible opportunity to build his empire.

Results are pleased to announce their most recent deal – WPP’s Addison acquires The Group – read the case study at http://t.co/MliQn5CXCr

— Julia Crawley-Boevey (@jcrawleyb) August 19, 2013

Clearly plans to acquire The Group began months before Publicis Omnicom was announced but along with the recent acquisition of a majority stake in Hong Kong digital consultancy Designercity and a minority stake in social media analysis business SecondSync, it’s part of the bigger picture to build a network that’s fit for our digital future.”