SapientNitro acquires 81% in Brazilian digital agency

SapientNitro acquires 81% in Brazilian digital agency

MUMBAI: SapientNitro, an interactive marketing, creative design, and technology services agency, has acquired 81 per cent of Brazil-based independent digital agency iThink.

The move into Brazil marks the expansion of SapientNitro into the Latin American market, strategically rounding out the agency‘s global footprint to include all of the BRIC countries, and expanding its ability to help clients around the world.

According to the company statement, Latin America is a strategic and rapidly evolving market for SapientNitro and its clients. Expansion into this region is in response to client demand for SapientNitro‘s combination of brand, digital and commerce service offerings in the market, particularly as global marketers gear up for Brazil‘s hosting of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

Led by Marcelo Tripoli, iThink was founded in 2002. iThink‘s team services a multi-national client base that includes Castrol, Johnson & Johnson, Kraft, Google, and Samsung.

Sapient president and CEO Alan J. Herrick said, "As the changing consumer continues to disrupt the way companies and brands interact with their consumers, we see more and more clients looking for better RoI and more innovative experiences around brand, digital and commerce that can be leveraged globally. Our move into Latin America with the addition of iThink as one brand, one culture and one P&L, furthers our role as a new breed of agency unlike any other in both capability and global footprint."

iThink CEO Marcelo Tripoli said, "Our culture has always been about transforming our clients‘ businesses by creating engaging interaction between their brands and consumers. In SapientNitro, we found a kindred spirit that recognizes that digital is not just one more outlet, but increasingly the center of a consumer‘s behavior. Reaching today‘s evolved consumer involves creating multi-dimensional experience spaces that connect to human emotions."

Pátria Investimentos and Blackstone Advisory Partners acted as the financial advisors to Sapient in connection with the transaction.