BBH has acquired independent digital creative agency DOMANI. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The deal expands BBH’s digital and technological reach and capabilities in the U.S. Based in Brooklyn, NY, and founded in 2001, DOMANI has a track record of blending art and technology to yield meaningful, enduring interactive experiences. Its range of services includes brand strategy, platform and digital marketing; and notable clients include Starwood Hotels & Resorts among a number of leading and challenger brands across the lifestyle, beauty, hospitality, technology, automotive, and CPG categories.
The acquisition will expand DOMANI’s client roster by providing opportunities to work with BBH’s current clients, deepen DOMANI’s creative resources and overall operations, and open up larger scale new business opportunities.
DOMANI will be fully-owned by BBH and will continue to operate under its own name as a subsidiary of BBH, based out of BBH New York’s offices. DOMANI founder and president Jonathan Hills will be appointed to Head of Digital; he will report directly to Pat Lafferty, CEO, BBH North America. DOMANI’s current staff will continue to report directly to Hills.
Neil Munn, CEO of BBH Group, stated, “Both globally and in North America specifically, BBH has excelled in our ability to tell integrated, holistic stories for brands. Today’s rate of change in the industry is exponential, and in order to stay at the forefront, we wanted to significantly and immediately increase the depth and breadth of those digital capabilities. The incredible talent at DOMANI will be an asset to the entire network in our efforts to further our clients’ businesses.”
Lafferty said of the DOMANI acquisition, “As we’ve grown our own portfolio and expanded our capabilities in a big way over the past two years, investing more in digital was critical. We’ve already demonstrated those digital chops, being the only North American agency to win Gold in both Film and Cyber at Cannes last year. DOMANI’s capabilities will also provide BBH with digital analytics, digital strategy, and full stack front-end and back-end development; and they’ll deepen our current digital creative and UX resources. Equally as important is Jonathan’s passion for grooming good people who do good work. He and his team will be a natural fit here.”
Hills will also work closely with BBH New York’s head of integrated production and technology, Carey Head, who was brought on last year to scale up the agency’s digital offerings and bolster all agency production capabilities. Together, the pair will drive all digital production opportunities and operations for BBH New York and DOMANI Studios.
“This move is a great fit, both strategically and culturally,” said Hills. “We have a shared passion for the transformative power of a strong creative strategy – and the role that digital plays within that strategy to effect behavior and build great brands.”
