The FINANCIAL — Accenture has entered into an agreement to acquire Rothco, a full-service creative agency. Located in Dublin, Rothco will boost Accenture Ireland’s creative capabilities and those of Accenture Interactive as an experience agency in Europe.
The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval by the relevant authorities and other customary closing conditions. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, according to Accenture.
Rothco is an international award-winning creative agency. It strategically plans, designs and produces powerful communications campaigns across Europe for iconic brands. Founded in 1995, Rothco now consists of more than 150 strategic, creative, technology, design, project management and production professionals.
The agreement to acquire Rothco is the latest demonstration of Accenture’s continued investment in innovation, and its commitment to growing its creative talent in Ireland. It follows the official February (2017) opening of The Dock, Accenture’s global multi-disciplinary research and incubation hub, and the Fjord Dublin studio.
The additional capabilities in Ireland will complement and expand Accenture Interactive’s presence in the UK and Ireland, and strengthen its creative capabilities, which can be extended for the whole of Europe. Accenture Interactive plans to scale Rothco’s creative and brand marketing capabilities internationally.
Anatoly Roytman, Accenture Interactive’s Europe, Africa and Latin America lead, commented: “We are proud of the culture of cultures at Accenture Interactive, which has helped establish us as an experience agency. We bring together creative, business consulting and technology excellence, which is a powerful proposition for our clients. Clients are looking to create human-centered brand experiences by connecting every interaction they have with their customers. Bringing Rothco into Accenture Interactive will extend our ability to accomplish this and create the greatest experiences on the planet.”
Alastair Blair, country managing director of Accenture in Ireland, added: “We’re delighted about welcoming such a talented group of creative professionals into the Accenture family. Rothco is a great fit for our business in Ireland. Dublin is not only an innovation and technology hub, it is a creative and cultural capital. Experience is the new battleground and we are creating new ways for our clients to engage with their customers. Once the acquisition is completed, more than 150 professionals from Rothco will join Accenture to help our clients innovate and lead in their markets.”
Patrick Hickey, Rothco CEO, said: “Accenture Interactive is a hugely exciting brand to be a part of. It’s shown tremendous leadership in moving towards a new agency model, and we’re very excited to be part of that change.”
In addition to creative campaigns, Rothco looks at how technology can enhance the creative process in order to better connect experiences with brands. The agency has a pedigree for award-winning campaigns and has found success at the Cannes Lions in 2016 and 2015, among other awards.
