• by Larissa Faw , March 14, 2017

Havas Group is acquiring Agence79 to strengthen its expertise in transferring classic media and content to digital platforms. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The 40-staff digital agency will become part of the Havas Group's media network in France, run by CEO/Chairman Raphaël de Andréis. Agence79 founders Jérémie Bugard and Stéphane Gorre will stay on as associate directors, reporting to de Andréis.

"We were looking for a solution to offline and international issues, the two major challenges facing the agency for the future," stated Bugard and Gorre.

This deal has been long in the making, says de Andréis.

"It s been an ongoing conversation for two to three years," he said. "They needed the support of a group for a new chapter of growth. The big 6 were interested. They chose Havas." He also noted that the acquisition “will help us accelerate the digital transformation of brands."

Founded in 2008, Agence79 specializes in communications strategies, media buying and online campaign analytics and optimization.

With offices in Boulogne Billancourt and Lyon, the agency's roster of clients includes Club Med, Commerzbank, Fujifilm, SEGA and Cointreau.