Digital agencies were the subject of nearly half of the mergers and acquisitions by major holding companies last year, while the overall number of deals fell by 9 per cent, according to a global review from Clarity, the media-focused corporate finance advisor.
Forty-nine per cent of the 116 deals completed last year involved digital agencies, up from 44 per cent the previous year, the report revealed.
Meanwhile, purchases of “traditional” agencies (including creative, media, marketing services, branding, field marketing and direct marketing) dropped to less than a quarter of deals for the first time. They represented 38 per cent of those in 2012.
There was increased interest in technology and search agencies, with tech agencies jumping from 1 per cent of deals in 2012 to 6 per cent.
For the full story click Campaign