Claxon acquires creative agency Embark

L-R: Phil Coulson, James Coulson, Daniel Willis, Danny Molyneux

Independent growth agency Claxon has continued its growth trajectory by announcing the acquisition of Gold Coast creative agency Embark.

The acquisition is Claxon’s second in 14 months and will further deepen its existing creative capability.

Daniel Willis, founder and CEO of Claxon, says acquisition remains a focus, especially as the agency continues its current push into the UK market: “I’m pleased to announce the deal with Embark, which further bolsters our already strong creative offering.  This not only amplifies existing capabilities but enriches our market presence as we continue our own rapid growth.”

Founded in 2003 by brothers James and Phil Coulson, Embark has worked with well-known brands such as Bartercard, BMW, Land Rover and NSW TAFE.

Says Willis: “Over the past two decades James and Phil have nurtured Embark into a great agency, and the culture they’ve built aligns perfectly with Claxon’s values and our mission to deliver exceptional client outcomes. I’m looking forward to the energy and experience that the Embark team will bring to Claxon.”

Embark will retain its own brand in market but assume a co-branded position, with all staff and clients remaining with the expanded agency.  The acquisition provides Embark clients with a true end-to-end marketing and advertising offering, and the increased scale of the combined teams provides further growth opportunities for staff and clients from both agency brands.

James and Phil Coulson will join the senior leadership team at Claxon and will retain their roles as creative directors of Embark.

Says James Coulson: “After 21 years of creating exceptional brands, we’re super excited to start a new chapter with Claxon, one of the top independent agencies in Australia. We’re joining forces because we think we’re a great match – what they’re great at fits perfectly with what we do, and vice versa. This means we can offer even cooler stuff to our clients and provide our team with some amazing new opportunities.

“Claxon and Embark teaming up is all about taking things to the next level and making sure the future is as bright and exciting as possible for everyone involved.”

The acquisition became effective on April 2nd, and Claxon’s Gold Coast team will move into Embark’s headquarters later this month.

Claxon is an integrated agency across media, creative, experience and data, and has brands including Binance, Dymocks Bookstores, Chempro, Accor Hotels and Polaris on its client roster.