• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, June 20, 2019

Havas Group said today it has acquired a majority stake in Los Angeles creative agency Battery. Terms of the deal, announced at Cannes, weren't disclosed.

The agency, founded in 2013 by Anson Sowby and Philip Khosid, will become part of agency network Annex and will be renamed Battery Annex.

The agency  uses gaming and streaming entertainment storytelling techniques to create ad and marketing programs across its client base.

Battery Annex will remain headquartered in Los Angeles with Sowby as CEO, leading a team of more than 50 employees.

The agency has grown to more than $10 million in revenue and works with top gaming, entertainment and financial clients, including Activision Blizzard, 2K Games, Athlon Games, PUBG, Netflix, Warner Bros, CBS, Disney, NBCUniversal, and Royal Bank of Canada.

In addition to the Battery acquisition, Havas is expanding Annex organically with the opening of a second international location, Annex Bastille, in Paris, France. And  plans are in place to extend Battery into the Canadian market by becoming part of the Havas Village in Toronto.

“Our Annex model is focused on helping global brands tap into the business of culture,” stated  Paul Marobella, Chairman and CEO of Havas Creative North America, and co-founder of the Annex network. “Gaming, Hollywood and streaming entertainment are critical elements of modern culture, and we believe the Battery team is one of the best in the world at creating brand engagement through these passion points.”

R&D Venture Partners served as financial advisor to Battery on the transaction.