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FMBX News
Posted: Apr 6, 2011
Chime Communications acquires sports and experiential marketing firm Icon for £11 million
Chime Communications has furthered its investment in sports and experiential marketing today with the purchase of Icon for an initial outlay of £11million. Icon had a turnover of £18.6 million in 2010. Chime, which is owned by PR and Public Affairs magnate Lord Bell, adds Icon to a growing roster of agencies within the group that engage with sponsorship and face to face marketing. The group includes sports marketing firm Fast Track and experiential business Branded Moments of Truth (BMT). The group also includes the public affairs firm Bell Pottinger.
Icon itself acquired brand experience and events agency MEI Events, run by Richard Dale in 2009. Clients of the resulting Live Events division include Samsung, for whom they oversaw the launch of the Omnia, including a buzz event at London’s Old Billingsgate, and the GB Winter Olympics 2010 team, for whom they projection mapped an ice house display onto London’s Somerset House.
Icon’s many sports clients have included branding programmes at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, and at the Ryder Cup.
Lord Bell commented: ‘Sports marketing has been a great success for Chime and the acquisition of Icon will greatly enhance the range of our activities in this area. Icon is an attractive business at an attractive price.’
Bell also anticipated further acquisitions in the future as Chime Communications continues to expand its agency portfolio.
