Stickyeyes has sights set on new era after takeover

ONE of Yorkshire's oldest and best-known digital marketing businesses has been snapped up by a major global agency.
Craig Lister (Managing Director Search and Social, IPG Mediabrands, EMEA),on the left  and Craig Chalmers (CEO, Stickyeyes Group).Craig Lister (Managing Director Search and Social, IPG Mediabrands, EMEA),on the left  and Craig Chalmers (CEO, Stickyeyes Group).
Craig Lister (Managing Director Search and Social, IPG Mediabrands, EMEA),on the left and Craig Chalmers (CEO, Stickyeyes Group).

When Leeds-based Stickyeyes was founded in 1998, online marketing was in its infancy.

IPG Mediabrands today announced that it had acquired Stickyeyes Group for an undisclosed sum. The group, which comprises Stickyeyes and Zazzle Media, delivers a wide range of digital services and has enjoyed steady growth in recent years.

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Both Stickyeyes and Zazzle Media will be keeping their respective names, and remaining in their current offices.

A spokesman for Stickyeyes said: “IPG Mediabrands has a well-established track record in digital media buying, including programmatic, mobile, search and social. The acquisition of Stickyeyes Group, whose team has been at the forefront of digital for more than 17 years, means that together, IPG Mediabrands and Stickyeyes will be able to offer existing and new clients an even greater range of digital services across all touchpoints – paid, owned and earned.”

Stickyeyes, which employs more than 140 staff across the group’s offices in Leeds, Peterborough and London, provides creative search and content marketing and video production.

It was recently named Best Large Integrated Agency at the 2016 European Search Awards.

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Stickyeyes is working with brands including Staples, Hertz, AO.com, Superdry, ShopBop, Admiral Group and IG Index.

Craig Lister, the managing director search and social, IPG Mediabrands, EMEA, said today: “Our clients expect the best digital strategy and deployment expertise so digital leadership is imperative for us.

“This acquisition is evidence of our commitment to our clients’ needs and continues the momentum following our purchase of Mubaloo, the enterprise level mobile technology business.

“Today, over two thirds of our UK staff are full-time digital experts.”

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Craig Chalmers, the chief executive of Stickyeyes Group, said: “It was obvious when we first met, that IPG Mediabrands’ and our ambitions were aligned.

“Their expertise in media buying, programmatic and data will combine with our audience-focused digital engagement approach to create something that we believe is unique in the market.

“This is an incredibly exciting time for everybody involved. There are huge opportunities for not only everyone within the Stickyeyes Group, but clients throughout the IPG Mediabrands group.

“We are joining forces with an incredibly forward-thinking agency group and are looking forward to bringing our talents and expertise to an already world-class and global team.”

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IPG Mediabrands was founded by Interpublic Group in 2007 to manage all of its global media related assets. Today, the company manages more than $37bn in marketing investment on behalf of its clients, employing more than 8,500 marketing communication specialists in 130 countries.

Stickyeyes is one of the largest, independent full service digital marketing agencies in the country. Starting as specialists in digital strategy in the late 1990s, its services include content marketing, social media, online public relations, blogger engagement, insight and digital consultancy, supported by a multi-lingual team.

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