DLA Piper advises global marketing and advertising network dentsu on its agreement to acquire Tag

DLA Piper has advised leading global marketing and advertising network Dentsu Group Inc. (dentsu) on its agreement to acquire the global omnichannel marketing production company Tag Worldwide Holdings Ltd (Tag) from Advent International. The deal is expected to close later in 2023 pending antitrust approvals and customary closing conditions.

The acquisition will support dentsu’s strategy of offering integrated client solutions at the convergence of marketing, technology and consulting, uniting the group’s service offerings like never before. Tag’s digital infrastructure and services provides high quality content at speed and scale across channels, cultures, and regions.  With intelligent, sustainable, and technology-driven solutions at the heart of everything it does, Tag enables brands to operate more efficiently and effectively to stand out, grow and waste less.

Upon completion, the strategic acquisition will bolster dentsu’s creative digital production capabilities, adding 2,800 international colleagues across 29 countries.

The Global DLA Piper team was led by UK Corporate Partners Tom Heylen and Tracey Renshaw, supported by Legal Director Paul Routledge and Senior Associate Sarah Riley. Cross-practice teams from 29 jurisdictions were involved in the transaction. DLA Piper also provided expertise on Intellectual Property and Advertising Regulations, the international team was led by UK Partner John Wilks and Senior Associate Huw Cookson, as well as Anti-Trust advice led by UK Partner Sarah Smith and Senior Associate Martin Strom.

Tom Heylen commented: “It’s been fantastic to advise on this milestone transaction for dentsu. Thanks to our significant global M&A credentials, and experience across the marketing and new media space, the team was primed to give commercially oriented advice to help bring the deal to signing on an accelerated timetable. A real pleasure for us to continue to work with dentsu’s in-house team and boost our long standing relationship with them.”