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Highland Spring Dobby

Merle Liquidated as Monkey is formed

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By The Drum Team, Editorial

May 31, 2011 | 2 min read

Glasgow advertising agency Merle has been placed into the hands of liquidators with members of staff launching a new agency, as well as agreeing a joint venture with a London-based digital agency.

The new agency, entitled ‘Monkey’, will be made up of a core staff of 14 from Merle who will work alongside London based Breathe Digital as a joint venture to offer online and social media expertise.

Of the staff from Merle this will be headed up by John Morgan as chief executive (pictured), alongside senior staff members Diane Lurie, Ian McSherry and Gillian Cochrane who have now set up in new offices in Glasgow.

Morgan said that Merle struggled with the loss of major clients Dobbies and Highland Spring earlier this year – making up over half its income – which made it impossible to continue trading and meant that a liquidator was appointed.

However, he added that the agency had been able to close its year having almost managed to break even due to strong billings in the early stages of 2011, but that continuing to trade would have meant ‘trading into deep losses’.

“Thankfully, that strong last burst has meant that we have been able to wind the company down with a minimal effect on others,” he continued. “At the same time, we haven been working to secure continuity for our many loyal clients and have been able to start out new company.”

Both long term accounts, Highland Spring, which moved its advertising account to Story, and garden centre brand Dobbies, which went to Tangible, moved earlier this year.

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