New northern hub Four North launched

12 April 2022, London: Independent integrated agency Four Communications Group (Four) has acquired Sheffield-based creative technology studio, Joi Polloi. With a stellar list of clients including Channel 4, BBC, Sky, Natural History Museum, NASA and the Science Museum Group, award-winning Joi Polloi adds heavyweight expertise and capabilities in digital storytelling, new and emerging technologies and creative design & development to Four’s existing digital offering.

Joi Polloi is known for breaking new ground in the creative and digital space and has picked up accolades from BAFTA, Royal Television Society, DA&D, Drum Roses Awards and the International EMMY Awards to name but a few. The team of 15 people will particular strengthen Four’s digital & creative teams in London, Cardiff and Dubai which already numbers 80 working across paid media, performance, social analytics & engagement and digital marketing.  

Paul Dalton-Borge, chief executive, digital & creative comments: “We have been blown away by the creativity and calibre of work from the Joi Polloi team and we have already been working together for some time. Welcoming them officially as part of the Four family is very exciting and will take our work in creative and emerging technologies to the next level.”

Four will also be using Joi Polloi’s base in Sheffield to launch its north of England hub, Four North. This will see the addition of talent in a wide range of services from media planning & buying to communications in the region for Four.

Explaining this move, group managing director, Einir Williams added: “With the emphasis on the levelling up agenda, we can see lots of opportunity for our public sector work in the north of England. We feel it’s important to add expertise on the ground to complement our London and Wales offices. There are also private sector opportunities. Clients in some areas such as property and health are very enthusiastic about the new office.

“We’re also keen to tap into the talent pool outside London. Our fully flexible working policy means that people have more options about where they can be based.”

Founded by Andy Barratt in 2002, Joi Polloi quickly established itself as an independent creative technology studio working with celebrated brands, both globally as well as in the UK.  They have a core of clients in three main sectors – broadcast and entertainment, museums and heritage and brands and retail. Work for these clients focuses on three main areas of expertise – expanding client products, services and formats into new and emerging technologies; driving engagement through interactive campaigns, products and installations to connect with audiences more deeply; and bespoke production and operational software solutions including SAAS and Ecommerce.

Andy Barratt, owner, managing director and creative director will become Four’s first chief digital creative officer and will ensure clients across the group benefit from our collective creative expertise in everything from emerging technologies & channels to multi-platform campaigns. He will be joined by technical director, Russell Stearman; delivery director, Jason Devoy; and head of design, James Briggs; as well as a talented team of digital producers, designers, project co-ordinators and developers.

Andy comments: “Building on Joi Polloi’s already solid reputation for reaching and engaging audiences through innovative ideas and new and emerging technologies, we are all thrilled and excited to be joining Four and a platform to take our skills and expertise to the next level both in the UK and internationally.”

The acquisition is the 11th since Four successfully secured a £10m investment of equity finance from BGF (Business Growth Fund) in 2015 and its 15^th acquisition overall.  In the last year, Four acquired London-based digital agency Marmelo and Cardiff-based creative agency Cheeky Monkey.  Following its power of together philosophy, the agency has a strong track record of strategic acquisition and integration of specialist agencies to bring new services and expertise to its impressive roster of clients.

M&A Advisory advised Joi Polloi. https://www.mandaadvisory.com/

Ends

About Four

Four is one of the leading independent integrated marketing & communications agencies in the UK and MENA. It offers a truly integrated approach based on a philosophy called the power of together with services spanning advertising, digital, social, media planning & buying, marketing, PR, public affairs, events, insights & planning and sponsorship. Four has seven core business units: corporate & financial, health, lifestyle, PACE (performance, activation, creative, engagement), property, social purpose and MENA. The company employs more than 340 staff and has offices in London, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Riyadh, Cardiff and Aberystwyth.

For further information please email groupmarketing@fourcommunications.com

Definition Group, the multi-award-winning strategic communications group, today announces its acquisitions of brand strategy and experience consultancy Brand Vista and Schwa, a leading specialist in tone of voice. The two deals mark the completion of five acquisitions in eighteen months for Definition Group, bringing the group’s revenue to £10m and adding a Manchester office to its bases in Leeds and London.

The deals follow Definition Group’s recent purchases of leading employee engagement agency Words&Pictures, creative brand agency Redhouse and PR growth agency TopLine Comms, including TopLine Film.

Brand Vista – rated by the Financial Times as one of the UK’s leading management consultancies in 2022 – was founded in 2000 and specialises in brand strategy and the alignment of customer and colleague experiences. The company’s portfolio of clients in the international leisure and hospitality, retail, built environment, charity and B2B sectors includes David Lloyd, Merlin Entertainments Group, Greene King, Places for People, Iceland, Fiat Agricultural and Yorkshire Cancer Trust.

Founded in 2017, Schwa is a team of writers, trainers and psychologists who use tone of voice and behavioural science to help organisations engage better with customers and colleagues. The company uses language to improve business performance, with clients spanning large corporates and global groups including BT, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Network Rail, PepsiCo and Sony Music.

The enhanced service lines, now delivered by a 90-strong team of specialists, expand Definition Group’s insideout communications™ delivery model for major brands, business leaders, member organisations and government bodies. They boost the group’s ability to deliver a broad range of services across the brand strategy, experience and communications spectrum, enabling organisations to enhance their reputations and deliver business growth.

Andrew Stothert, CEO of Brand Vista and Neil Taylor, Co-founder of Schwa, will join the Definition Group board as executive directors. Jim Horsley, Schwa Co-founder, will join as a non-executive director.

Nigel Howes, Chairman of Definition Group said: “These two acquisitions represent a significant step-change in our ambitious growth strategy, broadening our sector expertise, expanding our geographic spread and enhancing our service offering. With this enlarged capability, we can now offer clients a broader range of services, delivered by award-winning experts, using a truly integrated approach.”

Neil Taylor, Managing Director of Schwa said: “In four years, we’ve only scratched the surface of our market. There are many global companies that have yet to discover that language and behavioural science are secret weapons that can help make them more human, win them more customers, and make a measurable difference to their businesses. By working with our new friends in the Definition Group, we can grow faster together than we could alone, and it means fresh opportunities for our team and clients too.”

Andrew Stothert, CEO of Brand Vista said: “Apart from the similarity of our ambition, culture and values, Brand Vista and Definition have a shared view of the importance, for brands, of consistent communication and experience, both internally and externally. We are excited by the potential that lies ahead.”