Geronimo adds to acquisition tally with DMG purchase

Yet another agency acquisition play has been announced today, with mobile customer experience company, Geronimo, picking up digital creative agency, Digital Media Group (DMG) for an undisclosed sum.

The deal comes just a month after Geronimo purchased Tapit Media, a near-field communications (NFC) technology solutions and services player established in 2011. Since then the company has worked with a number of global brands including Google, Microsoft, Unilever, Procter & gamble and Nestle to deploy, manage and analyse mobile infrastructure such as NFC tags and QR codes.

Geronimo, meanwhile, set up shop in Sydney in 2015 and works with a number of high-profile Australian organisations including Commonwealth Bank, Westfield and NIB. In a statement, the company said the acquisition of DMG brought additional capability and experience around mobile customer experience, as well as a strong client base.

DMG is just three years old and has been working to create digital experiences for Telstra, Jurlique, Citi, ABC, MCA, Hoyts and Seven Network.

Geronimo founder and CEO, Matt Hunt, said DMG was highly complementary to his company’s existing strategy, media and technology capability. The deal fits into the agency’s efforts to mobile end-to-end capability in mobile customer experience.

“At Geronimo, we are focused on using mobile to build great customer experiences for brands,” he said. “We believe clients need deep expertise in all areas of the mobile ecosystem, but they need it under one roof to create end-to-end solutions for their customers.

“DMG brings that deep expertise in mobile UI design and creative, which is critical in how you build mobile-first customer experiences.”

Hutt highlighted DMG’s work across digital, responsive Web design, IoS and Android Apps design, microsite and banner ads as particularly appealing.

DMG founder and CEO, Joe Purves, saw the deal as opening up more opportunity for his business. The pair formally started working together on 1 September.

DMG has a team of 12 digital professionals and Geronimo has acquired all material assets, IP and staff. Geronimo plans to keep the whole company in tact and allow the DMG team to continue working out of its existing offices in North Sydney.

“Connecting our design offering into Geronimo’s end-to-end approach to mobile offers a great opportunity to integrate our design principles into the overall customer experience and help drive strong commercial outcomes for our clients,” Purves said. “Our objective is to increase engagement and to add value.”

The Australian agency landscape is in the midst of a massive shake-up as agencies, consultancies and technology and digital services players all rush to claim the brand marketing relationship.

Other recent acquisitions across the ecosystem including Accenture’s purchase of The Monkeys and Maud, Deloitte’s acquisition of The Explainers, and ASX-listed ICT services player, RXP’s acquisition of digital and creative agency, The Works.

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