Dentsu buying Merkle to boost global marketing www.asia.nikkei.com
TOKYO -- Dentsu, Japan's biggest advertising agency, will acquire a majority stake in U.S. data marketing firm Merkle to boost its global marketing operations by taking advantage of the Baltimore-based company's expertise in customer data analysis.
Dentsu will buy Merkle shares from Technology Crossover Ventures, an American investment fund for information technology businesses, and other shareholders through its wholly owned British subsidiary Dentsu Aegis Network, the Tokyo-based company said Monday in the U.S. It did not disclose the value of the deal.
The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of September. Merkle's founder, management and employees will retain their shares in the company.
Merkle logged $436 million in sales last year. It has more than 3,400 employees and 21 operational outlets across the world.
The company offers data-based marketing strategies mainly to big businesses seeking such benefits as reinforcing relations with customers and improving the cost-effectiveness of marketing.
Dentsu has been on a buying spree, with Dentsu Aegis purchasing more than 80 companies in the past three years. The latest acquisitions include Gyro, a U.S. business-to-business advertising agency, and WIS Performance Media, a Taiwanese electronic advertising company.
The Merkle deal is the biggest acquisition by far for Dentsu Aegis and is expected to expand the company's scale of operations and range of services, Dentsu said.
Published Date:2016-08-09