On August 20, Merkle Inc, a leading global communications company announced the acquisition of Amicus Digital, which specializes in helping businesses use Salesforce Marketing Cloud to its full potential.
The Amicus Digital team of specialists enable clients transform consumer experiences using data and technology. Salesforce recognized the company as a top 10 partner in APAC for the past two years. It is expected that the marketing cloud technical expert consultants at Amicus Digital will help Merkle build capability, scale, grow and differentiate at the Australian market.
Merkle is and part of the Dentsu Aegis Network leading data-driven part of Dentsu Aegis Network and has a headquarters in Colombia, MD. It helps companies and organizations like Dell, Geico, Kimerly-Clark, T-Mobile, DIRECTV, American Cancer Society, Sanofi, Lilly to create and implement customer-centric business strategies.
As a result of the acquisition, Amicus Digital, which was founded in 2015 and is based in Sydney, will become Amicus Digital, a Merkle company.
Current managing director and co-founder Blair Cooke will lead the business, while fellow founder Jessie Mitches will assume the position Commercial and Client Service Director. Blair will report to Simon Ryan, CEO OF Dentsu Aegis Network Australia & New Zealandand Zhengda Shen, President of Merkle APAC.
“Fully backed by the power of Dentsu Aegis Network and with our clients increasingly looking to their agency partners to provide seamless expertise across multiple communications services, building our capability across data and digital skills is a strategic imperative”, shared Simon Ryan.
“Amicus Digital has a market-leading reputation for expertise across all aspects of Salesforce Marketing Cloud and brings a unique and in-demand offering to our group. There is a strong cultural and strategic fit, and we look forward to welcoming the Amicus Digital team and supporting them through the next phase of growth for our business and that of our clients.”, added Ryan.
Zhengda Shen, President of Merkle in APAC, said: “Australia is a priority market for Merkle’s expansion. On the back of bringing Columbus and DWA into the Merkle family locally, it’s critical that we build on this momentum and continue to build out our capabilities to establish a strong local market position.
“Amicus Digital is one of the few consultancies in Australia that can provide people-based strategy, transformation, technical implementation, support and campaign execution. This acquisition provides considerable differentiation for Merkle and DAN in Australia and we look forward to delivering on the opportunities and potential for our clients and partners.”
Blair Cooke, Managing Director of Amicus Digital, said: “Jessie and I are incredibly humbled by the quality of the team we have at Amicus Digital and of the reputation that we have established together over the past three and a half years. We have consistently strived to be the market leaders and our sale to Merkle is the next step in helping us achieve our ambitions for the business.”
Both marketing agency Columbus and b2b digital media and marketing agency, DWA are part of the Merkle network in Australia, which has already translated in an increase in the Merkle’s presence and brand awareness in the country.