Dentsu Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President and Representative Director: Toshihiro Yamamoto, Capital: 74,609.81 million yen) announced today that its global business headquarters Dentsu Aegis Network Ltd.*, has reached an agreement to acquire a majority stake in HelloWorld, Inc. (Head Office: Detroit; CEO: Peter DeNunzio; hereinafter HelloWorld), a digital marketing solutions agency in the United States.

Founded in 1999, HelloWorld has grown by providing services throughout the entire digital marketing domain, focusing on promotion and loyalty marketing solutions. Over the years HelloWorld has earned high acclaim by offering outstanding services to major client companies across such industries as beverages, cosmetics, toiletries, information and communication. Today the company comprises approximately 370 professionals, and has expanded to offices in Seattle, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles.  

Post acquisition HelloWorld will join Merkle and the business will be rebranded "HelloWorld, a Merkle Company". This acquisition will add significant scale to Merkle's people-based marketing capabilities, including loyalty solutions, performance media, customer relationship marketing, customer experience and enterprise technology solutions. Moving forward, the Dentsu Group intends to accelerate its growth strategy by providing more competitive solutions in the digital marketing domain.

The impact of this transaction on Dentsu's consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018 is expected to be minimal.

*Dentsu Aegis Network Ltd., the Dentsu Group's global business headquarters based in London, is expanding the Group's business worldwide through ten global network brands--Carat, Dentsu (Dentsu Brand Agencies), dentsu X, iProspect, Isobar, mcgarrybowen, Merkle, MKTG, Posterscope and Vizeum--as well as through several specialist/multi-market brands.


Profile of HelloWorld     
Company Name: HelloWorld, Inc.
Location: Detroit, Michigan (USA)
Date of Establishment: March 1999   
Shareholder Ratio: Dentsu Aegis Network 87%
*After acquisition has been completed
Revenue: USD 53 million (year ended December 31, 2016)
Key Management Personnel: Peter DeNunzio (CEO)
Number of Employees: 370+
Line of Business: Digital marketing solutions provider focusing on promotion and loyalty


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