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Melbourne-based positive change agency Think HQ has expanded its presence in Sydney through the acquisition of business development agency LOUD Communications.
The move is aimed at expanding Think HQ's corporate and creative capabilities, and comes five years after the group’s last acquisition, multicultural engagement specialists CultureVerse, in 2019.
Think HQ describes LOUD as an agency that is “highly regarded for its deep understanding of consumer behaviour and creative innovation” with the business bringing “a wealth of complementary expertise in brand storytelling and multicultural engagement” to the group.
The company says that over the past 30 years LOUD Communications has helped brands to “earn their place in an evolving cultural landscape”.
Think HQ's acquisition will enhance the group’s growing team and service offering in Sydney, with recent relocations from Melbourne signalling the growing importance of the operations for the agency. Over the past year, group account director Jess Glass relocated from Melbourne to Sydney while Think HQ has appointed new CFO Tim Anderson, who will also be based in Sydney.
The buyout will lead to LOUD Communications CEO Lorraine Jokovic becoming Think HQ’s Sydney general manager.
“We are thrilled to welcome Lorraine Jokovic and her fabulous team from LOUD into the Think HQ family,” says Jen Sharpe, the founder and managing director of Think HQ.
“This acquisition is testament to Think HQs strategic growth, further boosting our Sydney presence and enhancing our creative and commercial offering.
“LOUD’s strong client base and commercial creative smarts is a perfect fit for the Think HQ team, and together will drive our growth with new commercial clients.
“Think HQ’s unique integrated offering to reach all Australians will be supercharged with our new team members.”
Jokovic has described the acquisition as “a genuinely exciting time for both agencies”.
“LOUD has always been about making brands heard and helping them find their place in competitive markets,” she says.
“As part of Think HQ, with its integrated approach and commitment to positive social impact, we have the capability to do even bigger and better things together.”
Sharpe sees the deal cementing Think HQ’s “unique position as a truly integrated, one-stop-shop agency that engages with all communities in Australia and creates awesome campaigns with them”.
“With a team of 100 super-smart people that reflect the audiences we speak to and the communities we work with, Think HQ is better equipped than ever to create and deliver campaigns that no other agency can,” she says.
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