SI Partners advises London creative shop Krow on sale to The Mission

Global M&A and consultancy firm advises award-winning London creative agency on sale to technology-embraced marketing communications and advertising group.

The Mission Marketing Group plc (“themission”), the technology-embraced marketing communications and advertising Group, has acquired Krow Communications Ltd (“Krow”), an award-winning creative agency based in London. SI Partners, global M&A advisor and consultancy, advised the Krow shareholders on the deal.

Tristan Rice, Partner at SI Partners who led the deal negotiations, comments: “Krow is one of the largest and longest standing creative independents in the UK and gives themission a fantastic foothold in London as well as access to a raft of top flight creative talent. Agencies in themission Group such as Bigdog will give Krow access to a broad range of integrated capabilities, enabling them to service a broadening client need and creating a great platform for sustained future growth.”

Krow will continue to be managed by the four founders who launched the business. This stability has helped foster a loyal client roster, with many relationships of five years or more.

Barry Cook, one of Krow’s founders, commented: “Over the last 11 years, we have built a brilliant, multi-talented and loyal team that has helped us establish Krow very firmly in the top 20. We think the time is right for us to build on that position, adding depth and breadth to our capabilities to meet future client demand. We are convinced that in themission we have found the perfect partner to achieve that. We are looking forward to establishing the Krow brand as a London-based flagship for the Group; it is going to be a really exciting partnership enabling us to be interconnected while preserving the integrity of our brand.”

In addition to providing themission with an important and high-profile presence in London, the acquisition extends the Group’s capabilities and provides significant cross-selling opportunities.  Joining the Group will strengthen and complement Krow’s offering through the shared knowledge, depth of resource and specialist services that comes from being part of a supporting network of agencies.

Listed in Campaign as the UK’s 17th largest advertising agency, Clerkenwell-based Krow was founded in 2005 and today employs 65 staff with a diverse client list including Fiat, DFS, Ferrero, Wilco, RNLI, Digital Realty and Team GB. According to Campaign’s Adwatch, Krow’s Aardman animated campaign for DFS was 2017’s top overall performer, retaining its number one position for the second year in a row, its Olympics campaign for the same brand won Retail Week’s campaign of the year.

David Morgan, Executive Chairman of themission, commented: “We have admired Krow and its approach for quite some time and we are really looking forward to working with the team as part of themission. Krow’s team members share our values and their position in the market, strategic expertise, creativity and strong senior team will complement our portfolio of agencies and increase our important foothold in London.”