Total Media Group, owner of UK agency Total Media and behavioural consultancy Behave, this morning announced it has been acquired by Mediaplus, an independent European media agency based in Germany. Financial details were not disclosed.
The acquisition brings Total Media under the ownership of Mediaplus parent Serviceplan, one of the largest agency groups in Europe. Mediaplus has more than 2,000 employees based in 25 locations, across Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East.
Total Media Group comprises Total Media (London), Total Media Connect (Birmingham) and Running Total (Manchester). The three businesses will now operate the UK media agency arms of Mediaplus, with Behave acting as its central consultancy.
“A logical step”
In 2016, Total Media and Mediaplus formed a joint venture (JV) called Total Mediaplus, which established new companies in London and Munich. The JV was formed in response to Brexit, with both parties aiming for a strategic international partnership.
Having seen strong growth at Total Mediaplus, the companies said the full acquisition builds on that close relationship. The partners noted that Total Media and Mediaplus have worked together on client briefs for over seven years, including BMW, De’longhi, and E.ON.
Guy Sellers, the outgoing Chairman of Total Media Group, called the tie-up “a very natural coming together”, granting the agencies access to wider resources and geographic reach for their teams and clients. Mediaplus CEO Matthias Brüll also called the integration “a logical step”, enabling closer cooperation between the two firms across multiple markets.
“Joining Mediaplus is an acknowledgement of our potential for growth as one entity, combining our behavioural expertise with Mediaplus’ global footprint,” added Tom Laranjo, CEO of Total Media Group. “Mediaplus is a long-term partner of ours, so we know this will be a fruitful and happy partnership. Ultimately, everything we do is in service of our clients, our people and our partners – our commitment to these principles is reflected in the leadership team of Mediaplus.”
“Success story”
The companies said Mediaplus purchased Total Media Group from its majority stakeholders. These include existing Chairman Mike Sell, who will be retiring, and Total Media Group CEO Guy Sellers, who steps into the Chair role. Meanwhile Tom Laranjo, Total Media CEO, will take over as Total Media Group CEO.
The firm also announced that Celine Saturnino, Total Media COO, will replace Laranjo as CEO of Total Media London, while Penny Took will move from Managing Director of Total Media Connect to CEO of Total Media Connect.
“Total Media Group has gone from strength to strength over the past 12 months,” said Laranjo. “Our media business delivered a 90 percent pitch conversion rate leading to £60 million in new additional billings, and our behavioural consultancy Behave delivered groundbreaking work around AI and psychological safety into nationally known brands. It has also helped launch brands like TikTok into the UK and is currently working with Snap.”
“The acquisition of Total Media Group is the next milestone in our strategic growth agenda, strengthening the global expertise of Mediaplus,” added Mediaplus Group CEO Matthias Brüll. “At the same time, it represents a significant expansion for the entire Serviceplan Group. The UK is an important market for the management of global clients, which is why we established a joint venture with Total Media in 2016, which has become an absolute growth and success story.”
