AKQA snaps up Danish agency to bolster European presence
Danish digital agency DIS/PLAY has been acquired by AKQA and will be part of the WPP agency's network. The main aim is to firm up AKQA's presence and capabilities in Europe. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
(Left to right) Morten Lund Director, DIS/PLAY, Lasse Morell Chairman of DIS/PLAY, Ajaz Ahmed CEO of AKQA, and Steffen Blauenfel
Employing more than 100 people in Copenhagen and Aarhus, DIS/PLAY’s main remit is innovation, strategy, user experience, design and technical development solutions for clients that include Ecco, Amnesty International, Vestas and others. The agency’s 2016 annual revenue was DKK105m (a little over £13m and close to $17m).
“It has been a long held aspiration for AKQA to have a studio in Denmark, and thanks to our partnership with DIS/PLAY, that aspiration has become a reality,” said Ajaz Ahmed, AKQA’s CEO. “In the conversations that led to this partnership it quickly became apparent that DIS/PLAY’s ethos mirrors the values of AKQA.”
“AKQA leads globally in creativity and innovation, and DIS/PLAY’S strong technical capabilities make this relationship a natural fit. We are incredibly excited about the opportunities this partnership will create for our clients and team,” added Steffen Blauenfeldt Otkjær, DIS/PLAY’s CEO.
This continues AKQA’s addition of studios across the globe. Over the past two years, the agency has landed in Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore, São Paulo, Milan, Venice — and the DIS/PLAY hookup opens up a gateway to the always-interesting and forward-looking Nordics.
“Denmark is one of the world’s most influential, beloved and respected nations, consistently taking the top spot on the United Nations World Happiness Report and first place in the Social Progress Index report,” said Ahmed. “We look forward to learning from, and amplifying, this enlightened philosophy.”