It was announced yesterday that Possible, the WPP-owned digital agency, will be acquiring the Portland, Oregon-based digital shop Swift, furthering WPP's string of recent investments in fast-growing markets and sectors such as mobile and digital. Swift is an agency that specialises in content creation and has estimated 2014 revenues of over $13 million. Swift's client base includes such blue chip clients as HTC, Starbucks and Nestle, and it employs over 70 people. Financial terms of the deal are yet to be disclosed.
This marks Possible's second acquisition this year
Shane Atchison, global chief executive of Possible, who has been friends with Swift founders Liz Valentine and Alicia McVery for over a decade, said “Real-time content is what clients are looking for,” and he predicts it is “Going to be an even bigger deal in years to come.” He believes that the purchase of Swift, and the talent and capabilities it will bring to the table, will allow his agency to keep up with the recent shifts in the budgets of most clients towards content creation and distribution. He admits “There are definitely some unique skill sets and processes that Swift brings.”
Swift was founded in 2007 by Liz Valentine and Alicia McVery
Swift was founded in 2007 by Valentine and McVery, and it's employees are roughly 65% women. Valentine believes that “Being founded by women has definitely shaped the business,” at Swift and shaped how they think about clients’ business and “The power of women in the buying decision in every category.” Swift will remain in its Portland base and Valentine believes the acquisition will give them greater resources and scale and it continues to expand its content studio offerings. She said “Possible’s world-wide presence and expertise” will allow them to better serve their clients’ “Ever-expanding needs for global strategy and campaigns with authentic local relevance.”
“When you look at a digital agency’s relationship with a brand or client, content and social are the battleground” Shane Atchison
Besides digital content creation, Swift also offers a range of planning, creative, technology, social media, and online marketing services, which also includes A/B and multivariate testing, and competitive, web site and multi-channel marketing analysis. Possible, meanwhile, was launched in 2011 with the aim of offering a data-driven approach, advanced analytics tools, and metrics to help clients assess the impact of their online campaigns. Together they should prove a real force to be reckoned with.
Swift is an agency that specialises in content creation
This marks Possible's second acquisition this year, and the latest in a long line of WPP acquisitions, which have all been in aid of the multinational holding company's goal to derive 40-45% of revenue from digital in the next five years. It was just two weeks ago that Possible and sibling agency Mindshare formed a partnership to create Content+, a group that will specialise in generating real-time micro-content. It has been indicated that the Swift acquisition will “Further enhance” Content+.
