Design company Elmwood is taken over by MSQ Group, combining forces with Holmes & Marchant.
MSQ Creates Global Design Powerhouse with Acquisition of Elmwood and Merger with Holmes & Marchant
In a strategic move to address the challenges of AI disruption and digital transformation, advertising and creative industry giant MSQ has announced the creation of a new global design agency model. This model, born from the acquisition of international design firm Elmwood and the subsequent merger with Holmes & Marchant, promises to be a fully integrated, end-to-end creative and strategic design platform.
The new agency model, positioned as a global leader in brand experience and innovation, combines Elmwood's expertise in brand experience design with Holmes & Marchant's brand consultancy and strategy. This unified network under MSQ delivers seamless design, branding, and strategic services across markets.
Elmwood, with approximately 200 employees, will operate under the MSQ group, while its offices in London, New York, and Singapore will continue to function as usual. In Asia, the merged agency will continue to operate under the Holmes & Marchant name due to its stronger brand recognition in the region. Conversely, the combined entity will operate under the Elmwood name outside of Asia.
MSQ chief executive, Peter Reid, clarified this information to Adweek, stating that the decision to use different names in different regions is strategic, based on regional brand recognition. Reid further explained that the aim of the acquisition is to deliver branded experiences to a wider client range.
The acquisition, supported through private equity partner LDC, is significant as it expands MSQ's services into the design sector. This move aligns with MSQ’s broader philosophy of holding agencies that maintain distinct identities but collaborate closely to provide client value at scale.
The merger and acquisition activity under MSQ is part of a broader trend in the industry toward consolidation and integration. This new agency model positions MSQ strongly amid the evolving landscape by combining creative design and technology-driven strategic marketing expertise globally.
Industry reporting highlights that MSQ’s acquisition and merging of Elmwood and Holmes & Marchant represents a strategic effort to create a global design powerhouse with a seamless capability across brand strategy, innovation, and creative design. This initiative sets MSQ apart from fragmented agency holdings or loosely aligned brands, positioning it as a formidable player in the industry.
The decision suggests a strategic approach to maintaining and enhancing brand recognition in different markets. The new global design agency will be a part of the MSQ group's portfolio, offering comprehensive brand and customer experience solutions to major clients worldwide.
[1] Digital Transformation and AI Disruption in the Advertising and Creative Industries [2] MSQ's Acquisition and Merger of Elmwood and Holmes & Marchant [3] MSQ's Global Design Agency Model [4] Consolidation and Integration in the Advertising and Creative Industries
- The acquisition and merger of Elmwood and Holmes & Marchant by MSQ, driven by the digital transformation and AI disruption in the advertising and creative industries, aims to create a global design powerhouse that combines business strategy, technology, and creative design.
- In the broader context of consolidation and integration in the advertising and creative industries, MSQ's global design agency model, based on Elmwood's brand experience design and Holmes & Marchant's brand consultancy, positions the company as a technological leader in finance and business, offering end-to-end creative and strategic solutions to clients worldwide.
