American challenger network Stagwell has announced the acquisition of content and production agency Pep Group.
The company, which is based in Kyiv, is set to be merged with Locaria, a Stagwell-owned production house that specializes in creating content designed to be adapted into multiple languages.
Pep’s clients include Kimberly-Clark, Colgate, Budweiser, Pepsi, Lipton and Arm & Hammer manufacturer Church & Dwight. It has offices in Canada and the Netherlands, as well as its headquarters in Kyiv. Though some staff have left Ukraine, it has kept running throughout the Russian invasion.
Misha Pimenov, Pep’s founder, will be instated as executive vice-president of creative content at the newly merged Locaria. He said: “Our manifesto is: ‘There’s not a production problem we cannot solve.’ Now, I’m excited to solidify our offering, grow the team and add value as a complement to Locaria’s omnichannel marketing expertise and extensive global reach.”
A spokesperson for Stagwell said it hoped to capitalize on increased client demand for scalable content made to be localized across several markets. Pep Group specializes in post-production changes to content.
Mark Penn, the former pollster and founder of Stagwell, said: “Locaria has been sending a message to marketers for years that multilingual content and localization can no longer be an afterthought. By acquiring Pep Group, we’re doubling down at Stagwell on scaled content offerings that empower global brands to connect meaningfully with consumers, anywhere.”
