Havas Group acquires Search Laboratory

Search Laboratory will strengthen Havas Media Group UK’s data and digital marketing expertise.

Havas Group today announced the acquisition of Search Laboratory, an award-winning integrated digital agency dedicated to searching for the truth in data, with offices in Leeds, London, Austin and New York.

Search Laboratory will be integrated into Havas Media Group, reporting into the UK business as a core part of its offering alongside Havas Media, Havas Entertainment and Havas Market. The acquisition further strengthens the media group’s digital marketing and data capabilities both within the UK and internationally, as well as enabling it to tap into a new talent pool outside of its existing offices in London and Manchester.

Founded in 2005, Search Laboratory is one of only a handful of Google Marketing Platform Sales Partners trusted to offer expert implementation, training and ongoing support for the platform's advanced suite of tools. Its 150 experts deliver profitable, data-driven digital marketing campaigns across 35 countries to some of the world’s leading brands, such as UiPath, Appian and Burton Snowboards. Over the years the agency has won multiple industry awards and been featured in the Sunday Times Top 100 Best Companies to Work list eight times.

Yannick Bolloré, Chairman and CEO of Havas Group, says: “The acquisition of Search Laboratory comes at a time where Havas Media Group is experiencing an impressive period of growth and momentum. Continuing to invest in HMG is part of a global transformation plan to deliver more data led media experiences for both local and global clients. Search Laboratory’s sophisticated expertise in data and analytics perfectly complements our own to create an enhanced offering that will help brands to activate their data in more meaningful ways. I wish Chris Attewell, Ian Harris and their teams a very warm welcome to our Group.”

Patrick Affleck, CEO, Havas Media Group UK & Ireland, comments: “We are thrilled that Search Laboratory will be joining Havas Media Group, further boosting our digital and data capabilities for our clients. They are market leaders in data driven digital and performance marketing, and as the industry prepares for a new, cookieless future, their advanced data and analytics services will enable our clients to better activate and extract strategic value from their first party data.

With a highly experienced senior team and a diverse client base spanning several verticals, Search Laboratory represents an exciting growth opportunity for Havas Media Group in the UK and internationally.”

Chris Attewell, CEO of Search Laboratory, adds: “We feel like we have found a natural new home with Havas Media Group. Our visions and ethos are very much aligned, and service offerings complement each other well. This is the next phase in our growth story, and we can’t wait to work together and open up mutual opportunities for our staff and clients alike.”

Search Laboratory’s current management team, led by CEO Chris Attewell and Founder and Executive Chairman Ian Harris, will continue to lead the agency.