Globant (NYSE: GLOB), a digitally native company focused on reinventing businesses through innovative technology solutions, has acquired a majority stake in GUT, an independent creative agency. This acquisition will shape a partnership that will boost Globant’s technology and creative offering, taking it to a new level, and support GUT’s expansion to new markets and industries while leading the inception of technology into advertising.
“Technology and creativity have never been more closely linked than they are today,” said Martin Migoya, co-founder and CEO of Globant. “We always say that Globant is where innovation, design, and engineering meet scale, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring the world’s most creative marketing and communications company into the mix. With this acquisition, we will be able to offer a unique blend of top-notch technology and bold ideas to brands from the very beginning of the creative ideation process.”
Anselmo Ramos, co-founder and creative chairman of GUT, said, “We are thrilled to enter into this next chapter of our expansive growth powered by such an entrepreneurial and innovative partner as Globant, who will help us rapidly achieve the scale we’ve always dreamed about. Our mission when we founded GUT was to be the most diverse, creative, and influential agency network ever, so we know that this reinvention with Globant will only accelerate that goal to hopefully becoming our reality soon.”
The five-year-old network has employees across seven offices in Miami, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Toronto, Mexico City, Los Angeles, and Amsterdam. It has also attracted over 60 clients globally, including AB InBev, Mercado Libre, Google, Kraft Heinz, Coca-Cola, and Tim Hortons.
This year, GUT was named Cannes Lions Independent Network of the Year after winning 35 Lions, including 3 Grand Prix, 8 Golds, 12 Silvers, and 12 Bronzes across its network. GUT Buenos Aires was also named both Cannes Lions Agency of the Year and Independent Agency of the Year in 2023.
GUT will remain operating as fully independent as it does today, and GUT’s leadership team will remain in place with a continued focus on building culture and driving growth. Both companies will work together identifying cross-selling opportunities and leveraging their unique skills to provide even more innovative solutions to their customers.
“Globant has been a trusted client for many years. We’ve done so many wonderful and successful things together as an agency and client, and now together, we know they will help us realize the dreams we’ve had since we were founded in 2018,” said Gaston Bigio, co-founder and creative chairman of GUT. “Ultimately, we’re excited to be part of the team that will propel us into the next phase of growth and success at GUT, and set us up for even more growth and success in the long term for our People and clients around the world.”
“GUT and Globant share a solid culture, endless passion for supporting their clients, and a strong commitment to bravery, creativity, and innovation,” said Martin Umaran, Co-Founder and Chief Corporate Development Officer of Globant. “In past years, Globant doubled-down on its inherent creative side of technology by adding marketing and advertising agencies such as Habitant in Spain, Vertic in Denmark, Ad_Bid in Colombia, and KTBO in Mexico. We have already merged these teams with Globant’s own digital marketing and digital sales studios to create a new end-to-end studio network with an agency approach enhanced with AI and diverse and talented professionals. GUT will play a critical role in being part of this network.”
Both organizations are ranked among the top ten global organizations in their respective industries: Globant is the 8th strongest IT brand globally according to the latest Brand Finance report, and GUT is the most creative independent advertising network in the world according to Cannes 2023 Report–forming a powerful global creative tech company poised for even greater growth. Globant was also included by Fortune on its latest list of “100 Fastest-Growing Companies”, ranked first among peers in the Information Technology Services category and recognized for its revenue, profit and stock return over the last three years.
SAG-AFTRA Calls For A Strike Against “League of Legends”
"League of Legends" is caught in the middle of a dispute between Hollywood's actors union and an audio company that provides voiceover services for the blockbuster online multiplayer game.
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists called a strike against "League of Legends" on Tuesday, arguing that Formosa Interactive attempted to get around the ongoing video game strike by hiring non-union actors to work on an unrelated title.
Formosa tried to "cancel" the unnamed video game, which was covered by the strike, shortly after the start of the work stoppage, SAG-AFTRA said. The union said when Formosa learned it could not cancel the game, the company "secretly transferred the game to a shell company and sent out casting notices for 'non-union' talent only." In response, the union's interactive negotiating committee voted unanimously to file an unfair labor practice charge against the company with the National Labor Relations Board and to call a strike against "League of Legends" as part of that charge.
"League of Legends" is one of Formosa's most well-known projects. The company provides voiceover services for the game, according to SAG-AFTRA.
SAG-AFTRA has accused Formosa of interfering with protections that allow performers to form or join a union and prevent those performers from being discriminated against — a move the union called "egregious violations of core tenets of labor law."
Formosa did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "League of Legends" developer Riot Games said that the company "has nothing to do" with the union's complaint.
"We want to be clear: Since becoming a union project five years ago, 'League of Legends' has only asked Formosa to engage with union... Read More