Social-powered agency Movement Strategy is excited to announce its acquisition of creative production agency Newfangled Studios, resulting in expanded reach and capabilities on a path to becoming the industry’s most innovative leader in social-powered brand-building.
The news marks a new era for the two pioneering independent social media agencies. Together, they boast more than 16 years of experience and best-in-class creative, strategic, production, performance and paid media capabilities that will allow clients to put social at the core of their brand strategies.
Led by CEO Jason Mitchell and President Eric Dieter, Movement has grown to become an industry leader in social, working with brands like Amazon, Netflix and Intuit. They have been recognized by the Webbys and Clio Awards as well as being named a Shorty Awards Small Agency of the Year.
Meanwhile, Newfangled has earned widespread acclaim for producing outstanding creative for longtime clients like Google and Bank of America. Led by CEO Macaela VanderMost, the agency has been listed among Adweek’s Fastest Growing Agencies and Ad Age’s Best Places to Work.
The acquisition comes in response to brands’ growing creative production needs in social media, which has become a leading marketing channel, as well as the rapidly increasing influence of social and creators on culture and purchasing decisions. “Brands need agency partners that can not only implement social-first ideas across a diverse range of platforms, including emerging channels, but also meet the growing demand for scale and quality in content production,” says Mitchell. “Adding Newfangled allows us to take a big step toward giving brands the ability to tap into the full-funnel opportunities that social media enables. Together, we can lead their brand-building efforts, with results that prove that social isn’t an add-on but central to how they connect with people.”
VanderMost agrees, adding, “Bringing together our ability to execute huge creative campaigns and Movement’s community management, strategy planning and media buying is the perfect solution for any forward-thinking brands that want holistic, integrated campaigns that capture attention, foster engagement and drive measurable results. Our agencies complement each other so well, in ways that I know will create enormous value for Newfangled’s clients too.”
Beyond gaining full-funnel expertise operating at the speed of social, the union will result in a ~30% growth in headcount and a combined $45 million in revenue. Both Movement and Newfangled Studios’ brands will remain unchanged and there will be no immediate impact on staff or current leadership structure.
“As the marketing landscape continues to evolve, we remain committed to staying ahead of the curve and delivering cutting-edge social media solutions that meet the ever-changing needs of brands,” continues Mitchell. “This evolution represents a significant milestone in our journey, and we are excited to embark on this new chapter as a unified force, poised to shape the future of social media marketing.”