Schbang expands global footprint with the acquisition of design agency Addikt

AddiktSchbang will join Schbang London in Europe and complete its mix of Dutch design, British storytelling, and Indian tech for global clients.

Schbang, an independent agency, has strengthened its global influence by acquiring Addikt. Addikt has delivered design work for international brands such as Pride Amsterdam, Prada X Armani at Fabrique des Lumières, Rabobank, Autotaalglas, Booking.com, and StarSports IPL. The new entity, AddiktSchbang, combines India’s technology, British storytelling finesse, and Dutch design excellence to serve over 300 of brands.

As AddiktSchbang, Schbang decisively enters the European market, capitalising on the region’s 11.1% growth in digital advertising, which reached €96.9 billion in 2023. With the European programmatic advertising market projected to grow to €143.03 billion by 2029 at a CAGR of 7.22%, AddiktSchbang is poised to harness this expansion and set new global creative excellence standards.

"Our acquisition of Addikt and the formation of AddiktSchbang represent a bold step in our global strategy," said Harshil Karia, founder and managing director of Schbang. "By merging our technology, storytelling, and design strengths, we are uniquely positioned to deliver innovative solutions to some of the world’s largest brands. As we enter the European market, we’re not just expanding our footprint – we’re setting the stage to redefine creative excellence on a global scale."

AddiktSchbang, powered by a team of 1300+ experts, is set to deliver fully integrated marketing solutions. By uniting this talent with strategic partnerships from global MarTech leaders like Meta, Google, HubSpot, Salesforce, Adobe, and Zoho, the agency eliminates the need for multiple agencies.

Strong affiliations with industry organisations such as BNO (Association of Dutch Designers), OneClub, ADC, ADCN, AdForum, and the Dutch Embassy of Creativity further reinforce AddiktSchbang's role as a pivotal force in the global creative landscape.

Barry Schwarz, co-founder of Addikt, said, "India has proven itself as a world-class leader in digital and IT technology, and now, with this connection to Amsterdam, we are making a logical and ambitious step towards establishing ourselves as a global creative powerhouse. This partnership strengthens our presence in Europe and aligns with Schbang’s and India’s broader ambitions to shape a global network. We focus on creating strong cultural and inclusive connections between brands and their audiences while pushing the worldwide boundaries of creativity and technology."

The formation of AddiktSchbang marks a pivotal first step in Schbang’s global expansion strategy, with Europe serving as the launch pad for further growth into Africa and the Middle East.

"Our work at AddiktSchbang is about pushing creative boundaries and setting new industry standards,” said Koen Van Ovoorde, co-founder of Addikt. “Whether crafting a festival identity, pioneering hyper-personalisation, or creating immersive brand experiences, we are committed to delivering work that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of our global clients."