Landor, the WPP-owned strategic brand consulting and design firm, has acquired a majority stake in multi award-winning motion design studio, ManvsMachine. ManvsMachine was founded in London by designers Mike Alderson and Tim Swift and has worked on a range of global campaigns in recent years for clients that include Nike, Microsoft, Honda and Audi, as well as identity campaigns for major broadcasters such as Channel 4, Discovery, NBC Universal and most recently, ITV2. The deal was announced in a statement to the London Stock Exchange yesterday, and is consistent with WPP’s ongoing strategy of developing its services in fast-growing and important sectors and markets.
ManvsMachine – Tate Modern “Watch This Space”
ManvsMachine has picked up numerous industry awards for its work in design, film and branding. In addition to winning two Cannes Gold lions in 2013 and 2014 and seven further silver and bronzes, this year they received the much-coveted Black Pencil for ‘ground-breaking creative excellence’ at this year’s D&AD Awards for Film4’s new idents. ManvsMachine was also recently ranked as the fourth most-respected UK design studio by its peers at the Brand Impact Awards 2015, and generated unaudited revenue of £3.4 million in the year ended May 31, with gross assets of £1.9 million as of the same date. The acquisition is part of an ongoing strategy at Landor to broaden its creative capabilities, in this instance in screen-based and multi-channel branding. It comes on the back of last year’s acquisition of innovation agency, North and South.
Landor, the WPP-owned strategic brand consulting and design firm, has acquired a majority stake in multi award-winning motion design studio, ManvsMachine
ManvsMachine – ITV2 “Selected Idents”
Commenting on the acquisition, Jane Geraghty, Landor’s President EMEA and London Managing Director, said: “We are delighted with the news. The addition of ManvsMachine to the Landor family further strengthens our creative capabilities allowing us to deliver more broadly for our clients. The team at ManvsMachine is hugely talented so we couldn't be happier.” Tim Swift, ManvsMachine’s co-founder, added: “This powerful partnership will help build on our success by giving us the scale and breadth of capabilities to take on exciting new international opportunities whilst continuing to produce award-winning work for clients we love. It also gives us access to a truly global network with all the advantages this can offer our clients.”
ManvsMachine – XBOX “Motion Brand Identity”
This investment is poised to further strengthen WPP’s position in the UK, which is the ad giant’s second-largest market after the United States. In the UK, WWP companies (including associates and investments) collectively generate annual revenue of $3.3 billion and employ roughly 16,500 people. In yesterday’s trading, WPP shares were up 1.3%at 1,477.00p, and the company’s stock has risen 9.8% since the start of the year. As of October 30, 2015, the consensus forecast amongst 31 polled investment analysts covering WPP suggested that the company will outperform the market.
