According to Smollan, the acquisition will strengthen its retail marketing service capabilities, as it is now able to tap into Elevator’s experiential, activation, digital and employee engagement expertise.
Elevator was formed off the back of a merger between BTL agencies Stretch and Point Blank in January 2017.
The merged entity now has a 50+ staff headcount with offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban as well as a blue-chip client list that includes Cell C, Lipton Ice Tea, Chevron, Pernod Ricard and Standard Bank.
"Smollan has an incredible reputation, both from a business and values perspective. While we’ve had a number of interested parties over the years, with Smollan it became clear that there were commercial synergies and an unmistakable cultural alignment that will lay the foundation for an unparalleled offering of impactful data-driven experiences," says Mike Silver, CEO, Elevator.
"While we’ve just completed our first merged year as Elevator, we are very excited about the next chapter and being part of the Smollan Group, both in South Africa and internationally," adds Silver.
"We are extremely proud of this acquisition," says Michael Smollan, growth and innovation officer, Smollan. "Elevator, together with the other Smollan assets, starts to form the basis of a very powerful offering, which will further enhance our capability in this area of our strategy."
"We have felt a great connection with the team, and the business through the process, and look very forward to what the two businesses can unlock together," Smollan concludes.
For more information, visit www.elevator.co.za. You can also follow Elevator South Africa on Facebook or on Twitter.