iProspect makes fourth acquisition this year: Search Factory

The Dentsu Aegis Network agency continues its buying spree with Australia's Search Factory

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AUSTRALIA - Following the acquisition of three agencies in the region this year, iProspect has bought digital marketing agency Search Factory in a bid to strengthen its position in the Australian market.

“Our acquisition strategy is simply to build scale in markets where we are lacking scale,” Ruth Stubbs, CEO, iProspect Asia-Pacific told Campaign Asia-Pacific. “Our aim is infill new products and services ahead of the market.”

In March, iProspect acquired Chinese agency Darwin Marketing and in April bought Malaysian agency Consider Digital. Last week iProspect acquired Melbourne and Sydney-based performance-marketing agency, Scorch.

The latest acquisition, Brisbane-based Search Factory, will now be called Search Factory iProspect, which already has more than 200 people nationally, according to the agency.

Stubbs added that Search Factory brings “experience, knowledge and a young and motivated team” into the network to strengthen iProspect’s offering in Australia and the region.

“SEM and SEO are big business in Australia, but currently only around 50 percent of the portfolio for [iProspect],” said Stubbs.

“Search Factory enables iProspect to scale in Brisbane, extending its national coverage, and further enhancing the Group’s leadership position,” said Nick Waters, CEO Dentsu Aegis Network Asia Pacific.

Nic Blair founded Search Factory in 2011 and leads a team of 24 people with Michael Bell, co-owner and CEO. The agency specialises in “search engine marketing, content marketing and development, analytics as well as digital strategy”.

Post-acquisition, Nic Blair will become director. Michael Bell will be managing director of Search Factory iProspect and report to Dan Kalinski, CEO of iProspect, ANZ.

Source:

Campaign Asia