DDB Group acquires 22feet

DDB Mudra Group has acquired digital agency 22feet. The agency has been merged with DDB's existing digital unit, Tribal Worldwide, and a new entity 22feet Tribal Worldwide has been created.

The leadership team of 22feet will continue to spearhead 22feet Tribal Worldwide. Vineet Gupta, managing director; Brijesh Jacob, joint managing director; and Deepak Nair, chief operating officer, will report to Madhukar Kamath, group CEO and managing director, DDB Mudra Group

The trio will 'work closely' with Patrick Rona, president, chief digital officer, DDB Apac and president, Tribal Worldwide Apac Tribal Worldwide, and the rest of the Tribal Worldwide network across 42 countries, informed an agency statement.

John Zeigler, chairman and CEO, DDB Group Asia Pacific, India and Japan, said, "We see this as a strategic move to continue evolving our capabilities in the fast-moving Indian market. DDB Group has accelerated its capabilities to offer clients the best-in-class local digital expertise at 22feet, coupled with best-in-class global knowledge of the Tribal Worldwide network. I believe this is a game-changing event for DDB Mudra Group in India.

22feet Tribal Worldwide will offer digital and mobile branding and marketing solutions including strategy and consulting, web designing, web development, media planning, search engine marketing, social media marketing, mobile marketing solutions, mobile application development, mobile couponing and mobile UI.

Kamath said, "With digital at the heart of DDB Mudra Group's agenda, we are extremely happy about joining forces with 22feet. I have tremendous respect for Vineet, Brijesh and Deepak, who are focused and determined in what they do. This energy flows into the organisation's talent pool and their work. Under their leadership, in just five years, 22feet has grown leaps and bounds. With this energy and Tribal Worldwide's global reputation and reach, I'm excited to see what this magic of mergers can create."

Gupta said, "We are extremely excited to be a part of the DDB Group family. At 22feet, we share DDBs passion for innovation and technology and look forward to delivering best in class digital solutions to our clients across markets, as 22feet Tribal Worldwide.

Jacob added, "The agencies I have often been in awe of are generally not part of the network(s) I admire. In this case both the agency and the network get double thumbs up from me. Tribal, purely as a name along with its body of work, over the years and across the globe, is truly inspirational. The mix of technology and creativity, which they practice is in line with the thinking we have at 22feet and therefore I think exciting times are in store in terms of the work, the learning and the exposure.

Nair said, "22feet with its immense talent pool and client base is today at an inflection point and strategically very well positioned to leverage the shift towards digital. We are extremely happy with this opportunity to operate on a global canvas, and we look forward to very exciting times ahead, as 22feet Tribal Worldwide."