GLASGOW-based creative agency MadeBrave has bolstered its production expertise with the acquisition of Edinburgh content production company Campfire.
As part of the deal new holding company BornOriginal Group has been formed with MadeBrave founder Andrew Dobbie as chief executive.
Campfire founder Lewis Phillips has become a director of the new group.
While each business will continue to operate as a standalone entity, the purpose of the deal is to give them greater scope to bid for work on an international scale.
Mr Dobbie, who founded MadeBrave in 2012 after a spell as creative director at Midgibyte Creations, said the two firms had worked together “on many occasions” and were joining forces to give their respective clients access to a wider suite of services.
“It’s the perfect time to join forces as video consumption increases exponentially and content marketing is constantly evolving in response to consumer trends and advancing technologies,” he said.
“The overall vision for the group is to enable clients to have access to specialist niche services from both Campfire and MadeBrave but also gain from the strength and power of the group.”
Mr Phillips added that the deal marked an “exciting new chapter for Campfire”.
“Andrew and I have been friends for many years and we both strongly believe in the power of creative collaboration,” he said.
“Our companies share closely aligned values and culture and the strength we now have within the group’s complementary service offerings will allow us to grow with some exciting opportunities and more international work on the horizon.”
Among the clients MadeBrave has already created branding campaigns for are IBM, Scottish Canals and the BBC.
It also has a particular focus on the drinks sector, creating branding and marketing materials for whiskies such as Bunnanabhain and Peat Reekers and gin business Eden Mill.
Earlier this month MadeBrave was awarded one of its biggest-ever contracts, with transport giant First Bus Scotland appointing the firm as its sole creative partner.
The contract will see the business handle advertising, brand and marketing activity for three operating companies across Scotland - Glasgow, Scotland East and Aberdeen.
The firm revealed that thanks to that deal it is on track to achieve turnover of £2 million in the current financial year.
The figure, which would represent a rise of 33 per cent on the £1.5m it generated last year, would be the highest in the firm’s six-year history.
When announcing the First Bus contract Mr Dobbie said: “Overall, it’s been a great year for the agency, we’ve been winning business in Scotland, across the UK and starting to generate a lot of interest internationally too.
“We have grown every year, been profitable from our inception and our success is squarely down to our talented team and the standard of our work.”
Having initially launched in Glasgow’s east end, the firm last year expanded south into London.
In addition to running the firm, Mr Dobbie serves on the board of sales agency Park Circus Group and training business TRC Media.
Campfire, meanwhile, has worked for brands including VisitScotland, Irn-Bru and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
For VisitScotland it has shot footage for a film promoting Fife and has also produced a series of destination films for Scotland’s seven cities. For Irn-Bru it created a film that promoted a new can design for the drinks brands.
Mr Phillips launched Leith-based Campfire three years ago after spending two years running social enterprise Ignited Minds.
That organisation was focused on finding ways to help entrepreneurs working in the creative industries collaborate with each other.
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