Consumer sport and lifestyle communications agency Gung Ho is accelerating its growth with the acquisition of the influencer marketing platform Freestak.
Specialising in the sport, fashion and lifestyle sectors, Gung Ho works with a portfolio of clients including New Balance, Speedo, CAT and Berghaus. The deal will see Freestak, which specialises in endurance sport, including running, cycling and outdoor, become a division of the agency.
Gung Ho’s acquisition of Freestak will see the agency’s existing client roster benefit from Freestak’s proprietary influencer platform, which currently reaches 1,000 content creators across the UK, Europe and the USA. It will also facilitate an expansion of the technical capabilities and scope of the Freestak platform.
In addition, the move marks a pivotel step in Gung Ho’s vision to redefine the agency model, which has recently seen the introduction of its talent management platform, Gung Ho Represents. It also sets the foundation for Gung Ho and Freestak to develop new products and capabilities that complement the firms’ existing communication offerings.
Paul Phedon, CEO of Gung Ho, said: “Bringing Freestak into our Gung Ho family marks the beginning of a win-win partnership that will advance our existing influencer marketing and data-driven expertise, while propelling Freestak to grow faster and into new realms and sectors.
“Acquiring an influencer agency was a priority because the category is growing dynamically and this move further cements us as market leaders in the sector. It’s clear that Freestak’s innovative platform will create a new canvass of opportunities to help our clients meet the ever-increasing demand for content, data and results metrics”.
Gung Ho and Freestak will continue to operate as independent companies for the foreseeable future, demonstrating the group’s investment in bringing best-in-class thinking, capabilities and innovation across its entire offer.
Freestak CEO Simon Freeman said: “This is not just the logical next step for our platform, but it’s a deeply exciting one. We have long admired Gung Ho’s creativity and our two companies also share a similar energy and passion for success, which makes for a perfect cultural fit.
“This is a partnership that combines our team of influencer and digital marketing and technology experts alongside Gung Ho’s fantastic team of social media, content creators and PR professionals, and we can’t wait to get started. The move and associated investment means we can take Freestak forward to new levels, strengthen our offer and further drive growth for our clients”.
