Accenture Moves Deeper Into Design and Marketing With Its Latest Agency Acquisition

Accenture’s aggressive pivot into the agency world continues unabated.

Accenture Interactive, the consulting giant’s marketing subsidiary, announced today it has acquired California-based design and marketing agency Wire Stone.

Neither party disclosed the terms of the sale. According to a release, it is Accenture’s 15th such acquisition in the past five years. That includes digital strategy shops like Pacific Link as well as more traditional creative agencies including London’s Karmarama and Australia’s The Monkeys. Last week, the company’s consumer goods and services division bought U.K.-based marketing and sales consultancy Brand Learning.

Accenture Interactive’s projected 2017 revenue of $6 billion places it above Havas Worldwide, though the organization is not a holding company and therefore does not rank among the “Big Six”—WPP, Omnicom, Publicis, Havas, IPG and Dentsu.

“Great experiences begin with great stories,” said Accenture Interactive North American lead Glen Hartman in a statement. “Wire Stone’s proven ability to tell engaging stories by blending creativity and technology, together with Accenture’s scale and business transformation expertise, is a unique and powerful combination.”

Wire Stone, which began in 2000, has since expanded to employ nearly 200 people in 10 offices from Geneva to Long Island while working for clients such as Microsoft, HP and Motorola.

“Wire Stone and Accenture Interactive share a culture and passion for delivering creative and impactful customer experiences,” added Wire Stone CEO Dan Lynch. “By bringing our creative and digital marketing talent and expertise together with Accenture Interactive, we are now able to deliver end-to-end solutions for clients utilizing their deep industry expertise and intimate relationships.”

Brian Whipple, head of Accenture Interactive, cited Wire Stone’s “top team of technologists, strategists, consultants and designers” in explaining the decision.

Just over a year ago, Wire Stone bought New York-based digital agency Tenthwave for an undisclosed sum.

Patrick Coffee

@PatrickCoffee

Patrick Coffee is a senior editor for Adweek.