• by Larissa Faw , March 28, 2017

Branding agency Sullivan is acquiring digital design studio FOUR32C, whose clients include Vera Wang, Weight Watchers, Bon Appetit, and Mic.com. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

As part of the agreement, FOUR32C’s portfolio of clients will be added to the brand engagement agency's client roster and FOUR32C founders Mark Jarecke and Mike Lee, both Conde Nast Digital alumni, will join the Sullivan senior team. 

FOUR32C’s employees are being fully integrated into Sullivan’s organization and a search is underway for new office space that can accommodate the growing team. For the time being, with offices only 12 blocks apart in Manhattan combining teams was relatively straightforward, says Barbara Apple Sullivan, founder and managing partner, Sullivan. 

“In an increasingly digital-first world, consumers are often turning to these channels first and determining whether or not to engage with a brand based on those interactions,” Sullivan says. “Mark and the FOUR32C team share our philosophy of the importance of building brand loyalty by demonstrating it throughout the customer experience online, offline, and through the frontline."

This deal bolsters Sullivan's experience in the media/entertainment, nonprofit, and healthcare verticals while gaining additional experience in lifestyle categories including fashion, health & beauty, and cultural institutions. The two companies were introduced several months ago and have since partnered on a handful of projects.

FOUR32C's Vera Wang relationship is a core asset. Last month, Vera Wang officially named FOUR32C as its Digital AOR after the design shop had been doing all of Vera Wang’s digital strategy, design, and development work for the past six years. 

As part of the collaboration, Vera Wang has bypassed the traditional parade of ready-to-wear runway shows during February's Fashion Week to instead publish a video on its website. The two also recently launched a newly designed and rebuilt global website. The site is optimized to respond to the visitor’s location and language, integrate commerce cues without disrupting the experience, and is available in nine different languages and 20 different country versions.

Sullivan's roster of clients include TD Ameritrade, Crown Castle, ADP, Thomson Reuters, Cornell Tech and the School of American Ballet.

“Brand doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Consumers interact with brands in the context of something bigger - a platform, a channel, or a product, which this makes building digital interactions interdependent and nuanced,” stated Jarecke. “By joining forces with Sullivan, we’re able to help clients define brand strategy and experience, and execute against it to create cohesive and innovative interactions across channels."