MSQ: Going global

MSQ is an international group of agencies that spans the full range of marketing, technology and insight capabilities. It combines the best in technology and creativity into one multi-disciplinary offer to help brands attract, convert, retain and grow valuable customers.

The international group employs more than 1,200 people across America, Asia and Europe. Its 11 agencies include Brave Spark (creative production studio), Elmwood (branding & design), Freemavens (research & insights), MMT (Web & Digital Product Development), Smarts (PR and creative), MBAstack (CRM and Customer Engagement), Miri Growth (mobile creative), Stein IAS (B2B marketing), The Gate (creative and media), Walk-In Media (full-service media) and 26 (full-service digital).

Today, it is one of the world’s fastest growing marketing groups and supports clients such as Unilever, Vodafone, The AA, Vitality, Coca-Cola and Zalando.

Supporting a dynamic group

In May 2019,  the group’s management team secured a significant investment when they chose to partner with LDC in a transaction that valued the business at £37.5m.

This helped the group to accelerate the roll-out of its successful multi-disciplinary model beyond London, sustained the continued growth of its individual agencies and supported acquisitions.

Adding value

Shortly after the partnership was announced, industry heavyweight, Charles Courtier, was appointed Non-Executive Chairman to support Co-Founder and Chief Executive Peter Reid.

Charles has more than 30 years’ experience in the advertising industry and was CEO of WPP’s global media agency MEC until 2017, where he was responsible for 6,000 people across 80 markets. During his tenure, initially based in New York and latterly in London, MEC quadrupled in size to become a $1bn business and one of the world’s top five media agencies.

MSQ also appointed former Dentsu Executive Director Kate Howe, MMT founder Ben Rudman and ex-Kantar Executive Bart Michels to its Executive Board.

Clear intentions

LDC helped the management team to acquire five complementary businesses.

This included the transformational £20.6m public to private acquisition of the Be Heard Partnership which completed in September 2020, despite the global pandemic.

In 2021, MSQ acquired digital marketing agency MBA, award-winning creative production studio Brave Spark, and design agency Elmwood.

In 2022, MSQ acquired Miri Growth, a fully managed user acquisition and creative services agency.

Phenomenal growth 

During a four-year partnership, LDC helped the management team to successfully deliver its organic and acquisitive growth strategy.

This was a key driver in increasing revenues from around £50m to £125m; more than doubling headcount from 550 to 1,200; and more than tripling EBTDA from £6m to in excess of £20m.

MSQ also became one of the first marketing groups of its size to be Carbon Negative and in May 2023 it achieved B Corp certification across the entire Group, demonstrating its commitment to be a force for good and belief that people and the planet are as equally important as profit.

A continued partnership

In June 2023, LDC exited its investment in MSQ to One Equity Partners and subsequently reinvested for a minority shareholding.

LDC continues to support the next phase of the company’s growth, which will include accelerating international growth and building out its creatively-led, data-driven and tech-enabled model.

Using Innovation to drive Net Zero.

MSQ is working alongside climate solution company Ecologi to promote its latest carbon removal solution, Biochar. The project removes from the atmosphere the equivalent amount of greenhouse gasses produced by the vehicles that pass MSQ’s London offices. The group also plans to roll out this technology in several of its other global locations and will make the offer available to other businesses too.