Brand Potential Acquired by Agency Group Candid

Dutch marcoms agency group Candid has agreed to acquire UK firm Brand Potential, for an undisclosed sum.

Brand Potential's founders, Mary Say, Tom Lovett and Chris Molloy - become Partners of Candid and will continue to take charge of their firm's management and growth. With more than 30 consultants, Brand Potential is located in Windsor, and offers high-end brand consultancy for multinational FMCG and pharma companies - services include insights, innovation, brand strategy and design, as well as a 'Brand Due Diligence' service to assess their potential when going through a merger or acquisition. A year ago the company partnered with design consultancy Touch to launch HALO, a joint venture focused on sustainable pack and product innovation.

In the new set-up, the firm will continue under its own name, in accordance with Candid's hands-off, 'T-shaped' philosophy. Candid is owned by founders Gérard Ghazarian and Youri van der Mijn, along with recently appointed CEO Rudiger Wanck. The group includes media agencies, social media experts, ad and PR agencies, along with specialists in marketing innovation and brand identity; describing itself as 'the first fully integrated communications platform in the Netherlands'.

For Brand Potential, Say comments: 'We really like the cultural fit with Candid and the agencies which operate on the platform. Candid understands that agencies are at their best when they continue to work in the way that is most motivating for their people and clients. By joining Candid, we can continue to realise our mission to unlock potential for our clients and their brands, both in the UK and internationally, while still retaining our values and culture. We look forward to working alongside the other Candid agencies and opening Brand Potential Amsterdam'.

'The acquisition of Brand Potential marks our first step in the United Kingdom', says Wanck, 'and the starting point for the development of the Candid platform strategy outside of the Netherlands. With Brand Potential, we immediately gain traction at a brand consultancy level, providing a strong starting point for the further development of the platform in the UK'.

Chairman of the Board Ghazarian says the firm always envisioned growing beyond The Netherlands to form an international group, adding: 'Brand Potential adds a new and important discipline to our growing platform and marks the start of our ambitions to achieve growth in the UK'.

Web sites: www.brandpotential.com and www.candidplatform.com .