Snyder takes over BDDH in pounds 16m deal

Partners BDDH is providing the emerging US advertising figure, Dan

Snyder, with a springboard into Europe in a share swap deal with Sny-der

Communications, a fast growing marketing services group.

The deal, which values Partners BDDH at pounds 16 million, is Snyder's

second advertising agency acquisition.

Snyder, dubbed 'the Martin Sorrell of the next generation', made his

first foray into above-the-line advertising this year when he acquired

the Boston-based Arnold Communications.

Arnold, the 15th-largest agency in the US, won a gold lion at Cannes

this year for its Volkswagen Beetle launch campaign. Its client list

includes McDonald's, Bell Atlantic, Ocean Spray, Fleet Bank and Pinnacle

golf balls.

Snyder said: 'Since we acquired Arnold in March it has been our aim to

help it extend its global reach. The calibre of the management team at

Partners BDDH will quickly help us to realise this. The opportunities

for cross-referrals between Partners BDDH and our other UK operations

are also incredible.'

Snyder Communications, which has built up from a base of pharmaceutical

marketing and data-driven operations, already owns Brann, a direct

marketing agency, in the UK.

Nigel Long, the chief executive of Partners BDDH, said: 'Arnold is a

perfect fit. We both put creativity at the top of the agenda but

recognise that advertising is only part of delivering targeted marketing

solutions to clients. This deal escalates our ability to service clients

effectively across all markets and all communication disciplines.'

In the share-swap deal, no money will change hands for at least a

year.

All five partners at BDDH will continue to run the UK business, but will

report through Arnold to Snyder Communications. Long added: 'We have

forfeited jam today for jam tomorrow. We are committed to the

future.'

Ed Eskandarian, the chairman and chief executive of Arnold, said: 'We

clicked the first time we met. Like us, they have a small company soul,

big ambition and an eye for great advertising.'

Partners BDDH is part of the European Local Agency Network, but Snyder

has yet to decide whether to target any of the other agencies in the

network as it rolls out its presence across Europe.

This article was first published on Campaign