Aegis plans continued expansion of Isobar digital network

by Staff, Brand Republic 10-Mar-05, 08:00

LONDON - Aegis is planning a rapid expansion of its digital marketing business, which has already been swollen by five acquisitions around the world in recent months.

Aegis, which earlier this week reported pre-tax profits up 22.5% to £93.9m, said that it planned to double the size of its digital network, which operates under the Isobar name.

The Isobar business reported revenues up by 40% with revenues of around £52m, which Aegis hopes to raise to almost £100m through acquisitions.

The media buying and market research group set up Isobar last summer creating a single umbrella brand for all of Aegis' digital assets.

Isobar operates in 19 markets with billings of around £300m and is headed by Nigel Morris as president, who was named Carat's first global president of interactive business in 2003.

This year along Aegis has bought award-winning Swedish digital creative shop Farfar, London agency De-construct, founded in 2001 by former Deepend staff, and US internet search-marketing agency iProspect.com for which it paid £26m.

Last year, Aegis boosted its digital offering with the acquisition of the Marketing Resources Management Group, owner of Australian digital marketing agency One Digital, and Chinese digital marketing company World Wide Integrated Net Solutions.

Aegis also replaced Carat Interactive with a new brand Diffiniti, which combined with Carat Digital, makes Aegis the largest online media planning and buying group in the UK.

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