Dentsu Aegis buys out Crimson Room Communications, will be integrated into Posterscope

The spate of acquisitions in the South African agency space shows no sign of slowing down, with Crimson Room Communications the latest to be bought out by a large international network.

The experiential marketing company has been bought out by Denstu Aegis, which itself is made up of eight global network brands, including Carat, Dentsu, Dentsu media, iProspect, Isobar, mcgarrybowen, Posterscope and Vizeum.

Established in 2005 by Philippa Viljoen, Crimson Room Communications offers a range of experiential marketing services from strategy development and concept ideation, events management, promotions, public relations and brand activation to execution of the brand experience across a multitude of consumer touch points.

The company will be integrated into Posterscope, with the eventual aim of establishing psLIVE in South Africa.

“I am excited about what we can achieve together and for the fantastic opportunities ahead for both our clients and employees. Our partnership will allow us to provide a broader product offering to our clients and leverage global best practice,” says Viljoen.

“Crimson Room will continue to serve its clients with the commitment to integrity and excellence that has been built over the years and now with the support and drive of a global partner. We are committed to building on our best-in-class experiential solutions to create the most compelling and comprehensive offering for both current and new customers. I look to the future with great optimism.”

Dentsu Aegis Network Sub-Saharan Africa CEO Dawn Rawlands meanwhile says that “Dentsu Aegis Network is fully focused on growing psLIVE globally so we are thrilled to have the opportunity to acquire Crimson Room as it will further enhance psLIVE and our ambition of Innovating the way brands are built for our clients.”

It’s unclear exactly how much the deal is worth. The fact that Crimson Room is a relatively small agency does however suggest that any number that did come out wouldn’t exactly set the world on fire. It is nonetheless to see players other than the giant holding companies WPP and Publicis making acquisition plays.