Digital marketing agency I Spy acquired

Digital marketing agency I Spy has been acquired by performance marketing firm iProspect.

The newly enlarged iProspect will have combined search billings of more than £150 million.

The deal will see iProspect’s agency team grow to more than 250 specialists. Clients will include Adidas, Vauxhall, Virgin Media and Kellogg’s.

The I Spy leadership team, comprising Chris Whitelaw, Jim Brigden, Chris Speed and Nishma Robb (pictured) will join iProspect’s senior management team.

Robb said: “Working with clients such as Superbreak, Visit Scotland and Teletext Holidays, we have built up a great reputation for delivering outstanding digital marketing results to our clients in travel and hospitality.

“We are really looking forward to building on this strong foundation as part of the much bigger agency.

“iProspect, who has clients such as Thomas Cook, Monarch Travel Group and Travelodge, shares our heritage in search and direct response as well as our expertise and understanding of the specific needs of travel and hospitality brands.

“This is an opportunity for us to broaden the range and depth of services we can offer our clients. Digital marketing doesn’t stand still and neither are we.”

iProspect managing director Ben Wood said: ‘Our acquisition of I Spy is testament to our ambition and key to our scaling of the iProspect business in the UK.

“It also builds on our growth and recent expansion in Manchester and Edinburgh.

“We are extremely proud that this deal makes us the biggest search and performance marketing agency in the UK and we are pleased to extend a warm welcome to our talented new colleagues from I Spy.”

I Spy founder and president Chris Whitelaw said: “By becoming part of iProspect we are looking forward to accelerating our growth and building our offering, while continuing to deliver excellent results and unlocking unprecedented opportunities for staff and clients alike.

“The chemistry between our two teams, our shared philosophy and passion for digital marketing will provide a solid foundation for a dynamic collaboration and we are very much looking forward to our future at iProspect.”