A Accenture Song officialized the acquisition of the agency Marketfounded by Felipe Simi and Pedro Tourinho in 2015, which will become part of the operation of Droga5 São Paulo.
From then on, Soko no longer exists. Now, the entire team, which has more than 250 people, is under the responsibility of Droga5. In addition to employees, the agency imports Soko’s client portfolio, such as Beck’s, Guarana Antarctica, Riachuelo, Spotify e Unilever.
Felipe Simi, CEO and creative chairperson of Soko, will assume leadership of Droga5 São Paulo together with co-CEO Brisa Vicente and COO Felipe Belinky.
David Droga, global CEO of Accenture Song, shared that conversations with Soko began about a year ago, recognizing the agency’s talent and creativity.
“A creative person recognizes creative talent and companies wherever they are, and Soko was already on my radar. I’m not trying to buy scale or revenue. I’m trying to buy a combination of momentum, skills, culture and people who believe in what we can do together. It’s an emotional decision as much as a business decision,” commented the CEO.
While he believes both Droga5 and Accenture Song have great employees and resources, David shared that there was a need to move faster. That’s how he started talking to Accenture Song’s CCO in Latin America, Eco Moliterno, and other leaders in order to take next and bigger steps.
“The team that founded Droga5 did a tremendous job, bringing in clients like Netflix. And now we start a new chapter, it will be big”, commented Eco Moliterno.
Droga5 São Paulo, which started with Renato Zandoná, Stefane Rosa and Nick Maschmeyer, also has renowned clients, such as Netflixa ONG Generating Falcons it’s at Levi’s.
At the time, the creative team at Droga5, both in São Paulo and New York, was led by Zandoná, who left, after almost three years at the head of the office in Brazil, to take on the executive creative direction of the AKQA network in America Latin. Meanwhile, Nick is working independently as a creative consultant. Both left in February this year, amid negotiations to purchase Soko.
“The people who started Droga5 in Brazil are great. This move now was conducted with respect for all parties and is a win-win for everyone: for the local market, for Song globally and for Droga5. Some of the leaders of Droga5 São Paulo returned to New York, others went to other players in the market”, shared Droga.
With the acquisition of Soko, Droga5 São Paulo expands its position in the Brazilian market, serving important accounts such as Beck’s, CoronaGuaraná Antarctica and Stella Artois. In addition to working for prominent brands, Soko is also relevant for its mission of inclusion and equity in the advertising industry, as well as its sustainable practices.
*With information from Meio Mensagem
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