12 July 2011, London - Williams Lea, a leading global provider of Marketing Solutions, has agreed to acquire Tag, an international provider of marketing execution and production services. Tag will continue to operate under its own brand and will become a standalone business division of Williams Lea, a subsidiary of Deutsche Post DHL. With more than 1,000 full time and 1,500 part time employees in Europe, the U.S. and Asia, Tag generated a turnover of c. GBP 100 million in 2010.
Tag is the largest independent agency of its kind worldwide and has expertise across all marketing channels incorporating digital marketing, TV, press and out-of-home advertising, direct mail, point of sale material and packaging. Tag’s clients include some of the world's largest and most successful consumer and business to business brands.
Together with Tag’s expertise in the adaptation of marketing content across various media and geographies, the acquisition will enhance Williams Lea’s ability to fulfil clients’ requirements for a more integrated marketing execution and delivery solution. By providing the necessary scale, the combined offering will also provide enhanced control and cost advantages for clients through a wider coverage of marketing spend as well as improved process efficiencies across multi-channel communications.
“Our complementary business capabilities make Williams Lea and Tag the perfect match. Together, we now have a unique, integrated proposition to meet the marketing services requirements of global brands” said Tim Griffiths, Williams Lea’s Group CEO. “As the global marketing industry evolves, we are strongly positioned to benefit from the new opportunities it will create.”
Tag CEO, Steve Parish, said: “This deal, we believe, is a paradigm shift for the industry. Tag has always been at the forefront of driving change and efficiency and it is essential for that to continue. In order to take the company to the next level, we need to be able to offer both a broader range of services and a bigger geographical footprint. This deal gives us all this, as well as the scale to deliver unique, end-to-end, marketing solutions.”
“By combining these two businesses, we are taking advantage of the enormous growth opportunities in the global marketing services market,” said Bruce Edwards, Chief Executive Officer of DHL Supply Chain and a board member of Deutsche Post DHL. “We expect the combination of Williams Lea and Tag to have a sustainable positive impact on our earnings and at the same time enhance our ability to customise global solutions for our clients.”
The parties have agreed not to disclose the financial details of the transaction.
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For more information, please contact:
UK and Europe:
Julie Foster
Phone: +44 (0)20 7772 4332
Press@williamslea.com
Americas
Michelle Bodick
Phone +1 212 351 9036
Michelle.bodick@williamslea.com
Asia Pacific
Kint Hui
Kint.hui@williamslea.com
About Williams Lea
Williams Lea is a leading global BPO provider specialising in Corporate Information Solutions. We combine consultancy, unique expertise and the latest integrated technology to develop solutions that transform the way organisations communicate and exchange their printed and electronic information. Williams Lea has a proven track record of enabling its clients to improve the delivery of their customer communications – allowing them to focus on their core business whilst enjoying the benefits of improved efficiency and control, reduced costs and an enhanced customer experience across the marketing supply chain.
Williams Lea employs approximately 9,000 staff across the globe with key centres across Europe, Americas and Asia Pacific. We work with many of the world’s most respected brands in sectors such as financial services, investment banking, retail, FMCG, telecoms, automotive, pharmaceutical and professional services. For more information, visit www.williamslea.com.
About Tag
Tag is the most established and diverse international design and production agency. With a history of over 38 years delivering creative production services, Tag has a proven track record of working with international/global brands and leading creative agencies.
With over 1, 000 full time and 1,500 part time employees, Tag has dedicated production hubs in London, New York, Shanghai, Singapore, Melbourne, Mumbai, Delhi, Sao Paulo and Cape Town, and subsidiary hubs in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Paris, Dusseldorf and Frankfurt. In addition, Tag manages 35 facilities based in brand marketing departments and advertising agencies.