Saatchis Buys Inside Mobile

Mobile marketing firm Inside Mobile has been bought by ad agency M&C Saatchi for an undisclosed sum. Inside Mobile will trade as M&C Saatchi Mobile. Its clients include Reebok International, Yahoo! Europe, AB-InBev-Becks and Sky. M&C Saatchi says the acquisition is in line with its approach of using its strong balance sheet to acquire businesses with outstanding management teams to develop new areas of business.

"The growth of mobile marketing will be dramatic over the next five years, and be central to many of our clients communication plans," says M&C Saatchi Worldwide CEO, Moray MacLennan. "The acquisition of Inside Mobile, and the launch of M&C Saatchi Mobile globally will strengthen our differentiation from the older networks."

Inside Mobile was founded in 2006 by Dusan Hamlin and James Hilton, who retain a 40 per cent interest in the firm. Hamlin says: "We are delighted that M&C Saatchi has recognised the importance of mobile as a communication channel.This partnership will provide us with the necessary components to make M&C Saatchi the number one destination for truly integrated marketing initiatives."