Aegis Group plc has acquired Clownfish, an agency that deals with issues of sustainability for brands. The value of the gross assets acquired is £0.5m. Founded in 2002, Clownfish specialises in working with brands and businesses to understand how sustainability can improve business performance, and how to communicate initiatives authentically. The agency's business model is based on the fact that sustainability is not just a CSR initiative but is in fact, an essential tool towards building one's bottomline.
Its services include stakeholder evaluation, strategies to embed sustainability in the business, implementation of sustainable business processes throughout the supply chain and brand and corporate marketing communications programmes.
Clownfish has a number of proprietary tools, including STEER, a self-assessment tool that helps identify the risks and opportunities for brands engaging in the sustainability agenda.
Clownfish and Aegis Media already work in close partnership, for clients including Coca-Cola, Reebok and Beiersdorf. Clownfish has offices in London and New York and will open in Shanghai in November. Within Aegis Media, Clownfish will become part of Isobar.
Robert Lerwill, CEO, Aegis, said, "Clownfish is a highly strategic investment for Aegis in a high potential space. We know the Clownfish team well, and respect both their approach and the results they get. This acquisition will better help our clients, by linking marketing communications and sustainability in a robust and meaningful way. It is also a key plank in our own sustainability strategy, demonstrating our corporate commitment to an important area."
Nigel Morris, CEO, Isobar, said, "Isobar is a visionary network, and we are constantly evolving what we can do. Our focus is on macro trends and micro effectiveness. Core to our vision is the way that digital technology has changed, and is changing how people behave. Nowhere is this truer than in sustainability. Consumers are empowered as never before to probe the behaviour of companies and brands and to make demands on them. This focus will only intensify."
Diana Verde Nieto, CEO, Clownfish, said, "Joining Aegis will let us scale up to meet our ambition: to help more clients make a bigger positive impact on the world we live in. Of all the people we have worked with and talked to, Aegis has shown its commitment to sustainability. With that commitment, the unique capability in Isobar and our own expertise, I believe we can make a real difference."
