M&C Saatchi Buys Social Media Analyst

In London, global ad firm M&C Saatchi has acquired the remainder of social media agency Human Digital, having taken a 25% share in the firm in March. Terms of this phase of the deal were not disclosed.

Founded in 2007, Human Digital (formerly Interactive London) specializes in researching, creating, executing and measuring social media campaigns. The firm worked in partnership with the London School of Economics to develop a methodology to help brands develop an understanding of their audiences' behavior, using mass participation across the social web to provide real-time business intelligence.

Human Digital will now operate as part of the Central Strategy Unit (CSU), under the remit of M&C Saatchi UK Group CEO Lisa Thomas, who defines the firm's approach as the combination of 'rich behavioural insight with robust metrics'.

As part of the deal, the firm will continue to be led by CEO Christian Gladwell (pictured), who comments: 'Like Human Digital, M&C Saatchi takes research and insight seriously. The rise in participation in social media means companies have an unprecedented opportunity to place the consumer at the heart of their business. However, accurate research, analysis and insight are the cornerstones on which an effective strategy must be based.'

Web sites: www.mcsaatchi.com and www.human-digital.com .