Pictured: Lindsay Turner, CEO, Spark Foundry UK
Nine months after the consolidation of their global operations, Publicis Media has announced that Blue 449 will be integrated into the Spark Foundry brand in the UK from early next year.
The merged agency will be led by Lindsay Turner, who has held the dual role of UK CEO at both Spark Foundry and Blue 449 since Simon Davis stepped down in April.
Publicis Media brought Blue 449 under the Spark Foundry brand in the majority of markets earlier this year.
However, Blue 449 continued operating locally in the UK, US and France to service domestic clients, with practices including investment, performance, data sciences and content to create a “clear structural point of difference” between the two.
According to Publicis, the decision to now merge the agencies in the UK is a result of the “close alliance” that has developed between the two, with one senior leadership team sitting across both and shared “synergies of culture and entrepreneurial spirit”.
“This feels like the perfect time to bring Blue 449 under the Spark Foundry brand in the UK. The two agencies have been naturally coming together both in its leadership team and in the cross pollination of agency strengths, so this feels a very natural next step,” said Turner.
“Bringing together Blue 449’s distinctive positioning and Spark Foundry’s unique HEAT planning proposition and creativity under one brand we will be perfectly positioned to accelerate growth and continue to deliver transformational work for our clients.”
Blue 449’s talent and clients will now be housed under the Spark Foundry brand.
Sue Frogley, CEO at Publicis Media UK, added: “Publicis Media is a brand led organisation and integrating Blue 449 and Spark Foundry will create a powerful brand that is well positioned to drive strong results for clients.”
The news may come as a surprise to some. In an interview with Mediatel News earlier this year, Turner said she continued to view Blue 449 and Spark Foundry as very much separate but complementary brands, with Blue 449’s strength in its “incredible core craft skill” while Spark Foundry has a stronger creative function.
“I don’t think it’s difficult to keep them separate and treat them separately,” she said at the time.
