Publicis builds North American portfolio

Publicis Groupe has acquired Hawkeye, a US agency specialising in data analytics, digital strategy, CRM and experiential. Hawkeye will be aligned with Publicis North America.

Founded in 1999, Hawkeye has more than 160 staff, and offices in Charlotte, Buffalo, Minneapolis, Denver and Vail, as well as its headquarters in Dallas.

Hawkeye offers a range of integrated digital marketing services including data and analytics, website design and development and social and mobile marketing. Clients include American Airlines, Lockheed Martin and The North Face.

Rebranding as Publicis Hawkeye, the new entity will continue to be headquartered in Dallas, and will operate independently, serving as a specialist centre of excellence for all offices across the Publicis North America network.

Steve Dapper, founder and chairman of Hawkeye, will lead Publicis Hawkeye in the same role while Sally Kennedy, CEO of Publicis Dallas, will become CEO of the new agency.

“We are excited to be adding Hawkeye to our agency network in the US, strengthening our specialised creative services driven by data in the American market,” said Arthur Sadoun, CEO of Publicis Worldwide.

Hawkeye founder Dapper said that his company was “thrilled about the potential of joining Publicis Worldwide”.

“The convergence of data, creativity, and technology will spawn ever more powerful and extraordinary ideas that can make a difference in this chaotic brand messaging world we live in,” he added.

This is the latest in a series of acquisitions by Publicis Groupe. Last year saw the group buy US healthcare analytics firm Verilogue, India's Beehive Communications and Synergize, a South African digital search marketing company.