Accenture Buys Unlimited Group

London-based marketing group Unlimited, parent of insight agency Walnut, is to join Accenture Song, the business services behemoth's 'tech-powered creative group'. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

The Unlimited name began as an umbrella brand for agencies within the Creston Group nearly ten years ago - Creston added the suffix to the names of all its group companies, and three years later dropped the Creston name in favour of it. Today the group places data and a deep understanding of human behavior at the core of its offering through a proprietary Human Understanding Lab, tapping 120 data scientists, behavioural scientists, researchers and neuroscientists; and its AI-powered digital insights platform LUCA. Last summer it launched a division called Unlimited B2B, bringing together the specialist strengths of its comms and marketing agencies Nelson Bostock and TMW Business, to helps clients improve conversion through every stage of the buying journey.

Unlimited has additional locations in Bristol, Winchester and Reading, and its nearly 600 employees will join Accenture Song's UK team aligned to the marketing practice under Bill Scott, the latter's lead for the UK, Ireland and Africa. Accenture says the buy will add 'deep expertise in behavioral science, customer strategy and CRM activation' and strengthen Song's capabilities to drive 'marketing transformation, relevance and growth for its clients'.

Unlimited Group CEO Chris Mellish (pictured) comments: 'To be joining such an ambitious and forward-thinking strategic organization is a massive moment for us. We have found a home where both our people and our clients can continue to thrive in an organization that has its eye towards shaping the future of our industry'.

Dame Annette King, Accenture Song's marketing practice Global Lead says of the buy: 'There are few agencies that have proven to be as impressive as Unlimited over the last few years. The world of CRM is more crucial to brands than ever before and there is no greater partner for it than generative AI-powered creativity. We're excited to welcome the team into the Accenture Song fold and most importantly, we can't wait for the opportunities that now exist for our clients and talent'. Sohel Aziz, UK, Ireland and Africa lead, Accenture Song says the two companies have 'a shared vision for the future of CRM combined with the power of generative AI to enable the delivery of ever more relevant and impactful customer experience'.

Other Accenture Song insight and data buys in recent years include GemSeek, Mindcurv, Rabbit's Tale, Fiftyfive5 and The Stable. Accenture employs around 742,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, and is online at www.accenture.com .

London-based digital services M&A advisor GP Bullhound acted as exclusive financial advisor to Unlimited on the sale.

Walnut is online at www.walnutunlimited.com and its parent at www.unlimitedgroup.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.