Match Marketing Group has acquired Toronto-based Magnet Engagement Group, an engagement marketing firm that was founded in 2013.
Magnet has created national shopper marketing campaigns for clients including Royal Bank of Canada and Unilever Canada.
“Whenever we’re looking at a possible partnership or an acquisition, we have a pretty consistent filter of looking at the leadership, the capabilities, the work they put into the marketplace, and obviously the categories and portfolio of clients that they work with,” Match CEO Brett Farren told Marketing. “And [Magnet] was just exceptional across all fronts.”
Since 2012, Match has acquired a number of firms on both sides of the border, including Action Marketing Group (Boulder, CO), OSL Marketing Group (Toronto), SVM Marketing (Montreal), Convergence Marketing (Baltimore, MD), Circle One Marketing (Norwalk, CT), and Marketing Drive and its digital subsidiary, WELD Media (Norwalk, CT).
Farren could not disclose Magnet’s purchase price, but said its 10-person management team will be integrated within Match. Steve Medcalf, formerly president of Magnet Engagement Group, will become VP of experiential. The agency is also bringing over Magnet’s “several hundred” field representatives.
“Bringing in the talents they have within their team will not only fuel what they’ve been able to do for their existing clients, but also add some more fire power to our roster and the clients that we currently serve,” said Farren.
Going forward, Farren said Match has a strong focus on organic growth with existing clients. “But if we come across an agency that’s doing really great work and it builds on our capability, we’ll definitely take a look at it.”
Match currently employs more than 600 people in seven offices, as well as more than 7,000 field staff across North America.
