Dentsu Aegis Network has acquired the promotions and loyalty marketing business HelloWorld, with the aim of scaling its performance marketing agency, Merkle.
The Michigan-based company, which counts Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson and Microsoft among its clients, has rebranded to become ‘HelloWorld, a Merkle Company’.
The acquisition sees 370 members of staff join the Dentsu Aegis fold, alongside HelloWorld’s in-house technology platform. The network hopes its new purchase will bolster Merkle’s client proposition with added ‘loyalty solutions, performance media, customer relationship marketing, customer experience and enterprise technology services’.
Founded in 1999 and with offices in Detroit, Seattle, Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles, HelloWorld is known for providing gamified promotional campaigns, loyalty programmes, communications services and analytics.
Michael Hemsey, executive vice president of Merkle, said: “The acquisition of HelloWorld increases our collective scale in providing loyalty strategy, technology, and engagement services that support the life cycle of our clients’ programs, across industries.
“We will continue to expand our global client roster, working with brands that leverage the sophistication of our people-based loyalty marketing and technology solutions.”
Peter DeNunzio, chief executive of HelloWorld, added: “Adding HelloWorld’s expertise in promotion and loyalty to Merkle’s comprehensive suite of solutions, our combined organization offers clients world-class capability, from acquisition to retention to ultimate loyalty in the brand-consumer ecosystem.”