Ad shop Sid Lee has been acquired by kyu, part of holding company Hakuhodo DY Holdings Inc.
of Japan. Terms were not disclosed.
Based in Montreal, Canada, Sid Lee also has offices in Toronto, Amsterdam, Paris, New York and Los Angeles. The shop offers a mix of advertising
experiential marketing, architecture/interior design, branded content and digital/social communications. The shop’s assets include production arm Jimmy Lee as well as a 49% stake in
architectural unit Sid Lee Architecture.
Sid Lee clients include Absolut, Unilever and Intel.
The acquisition is the latest in a series of Canadian independent agencies that have been
bought up. In December of last year, a majority stake in Quebec-based Cossette parent Vision7 was acquired by Chinese firm Blue Focus Communications for $210 million. Earlier, WPP bought John St and
Dentsu acquired Bos.
“Sid Lee is all about conceiving, creating and producing transformative experiences communicated across all contact points,” said kyu CEO Michael Birkin.
“The agency and its work are recognized throughout our industry for originality and foresightedness as well as for its cultural relevance -- all of which make it a wonderful fit for our
group.”
With the acquisition, said Birkin, Montreal “immediately becomes a key center for kyu.”
Birkin joined the Japanese holding company last year as CEO of
newly formed kyu with a remit to build its assets organically and through acquisitions. Last month, kyu acquired content agency Digital Kitchen. Other shops under the kyu umbrella include, SY/Partners and Red Peak
Group (Red Peak Branding and RPMC).