Millward Brown acquires EffectiveBrands

Millward Brown has acquired EffectiveBrands, a global marketing strategy consulting firm.Millward Brown will combine EffectiveBrands with Millward Brown Optimor, its strategy consulting unit, to form Millward Brown Vermeer. Millward Brown Vermeer will work with the world’s leading CMOs and brands to align the “why, what and how” of marketing strategy to drive brand-led business growth.“As customers, employees and investors demand increased transparency and value from companies, business leaders face unprecedented complexity and disruption,” said Travyn Rhall, CEO, Millward Brown. “With the formation of Millward Brown Vermeer, we are strengthening and expanding our offer to help organizations answer the key questions that unleash brand-led business growth and ensure that the resulting strategies are implemented effectively around the world. We very much welcome the EffectiveBrands team to Millward Brown.” EffectiveBrands was founded in 2001 by Marc de Swaan Arons and Frank van den Driest. The founders, along with the firm’s 65 employees, bring extensive brand marketing experience to client engagements.De Swaan Arons said, “Millward Brown Vermeer brings together a unique combination of talent, experience and locations to offer clients the first holistic, end-to-end global marketing strategy offering focused specifically on driving brand-led business growth.” Van den Driest added, “We are delighted to be joining forces with Millward Brown Optimor to create a unique offer for today’s marketing leaders.” Benoit Garbe, managing director of Millward Brown Vermeer for the Africa Middle East Asia Pacific region, commented: “We will continue to help shape our global and Chinese clients’ brand strategies based on local market understanding, and we will now also support their ambitions by helping them build marketing capabilities and design brand-led organizations. “The synergies between EffectiveBrands and Millward Brown Optimor will bring clear benefits to our clients, and I am truly excited by the formation of Millward Brown Vermeer.”Source: Press release