EY acquires UX company Zilker Technology

Consultancy and professional services firm EY has bought Zilker Technology, making it part of its digital and emerging technology group. Its services will be available to clients in Canada, the U.S., Serbia and India.

Zilker, which employs 360 staff in Canada and worldwide, offers technology solutions that integrate a company’s own enterprise technology with consumer-facing digital experiences. This helps companies keep messaging and brand experience consistent across any digital touchpoint a consumer may interact with a brand, including ecommerce and digital advertising, and helps brands maintain a more holistic understanding of consumer behaviour and data.

Tag’s new owner officially launches a simplified way to access agencies

After spending most of 2020 building its offering, Republix has launched to give clients a less fragmented experience with the agencies they work with. Led by co-founder and CEO Thomas Le Maguer and president and COO Mandy Grewal, the company has acquired six agencies representing $20 million in revenue over the course of the last year, and is actively pursuing further acquisitions in the U.S. and Canada to grow its footprint and add to its offering. For clients, Republix aims to be a one-stop, digitally-enabled spot for marketing services, which the company says will help lead to more predictable results, a more seamless experience and easier access to the services it needs.

Republix’s “citizens,” as it refers to the agencies it has acquired, include integrated agency Tag, as well as digital and performance agency Arcane, business consultancy eRational Marketing, small business platform Integrity, B2B agency Linked IntoLeads, and digital agency Media Mechanics. Unlike a holding company, each agency is continuing to run independently, but will have the benefit of other capabilities, shared services and operational support.

Stephen Thomas wins AOR mandate with Arthritis Society

Non-profit focused agency Stephen Thomas has won a two-year assignment with the Arthritis Society as its direct fundraising AOR. Selected following a competitive review, the agency will help Canada’s leading arthritis charity create and manage a fully integrated, bilingual direct response fundraising program, including strategy, copywriting, artwork, production, data segmentation, digital and telephone fundraising.

While the Arthritis Society plans to continue its focus on direct, which has been core to its fundraising programs over the years, it will also tap Stephen Thomas to bolster its impact in the midst of the pandemic and to ensure it has a dedicated revenue stream to meet its organizational needs.