Schbang, one of India’s leading independent agencies, has strengthened its global influence by acquiring one of the leading design agencies in Amsterdam- Addikt. With this acquisition in place, Addikt has now transformed into AddiktSchbang.
AddiktSchbang will join Schbang London in Europe and complete its unique mix of Dutch Design, British Storytelling, and Indian Tech for global clients.
That being said, this strategic acquisition and the agency’s expansion in the European market, a market where it already had an office- in London, Schbang aims to capitalise on the region’s 11.1% growth in digital advertising, which reached €96.9 billion in 2023.
Also, with the European programmatic advertising market projected to grow to €143.03 billion by 2029 at a CAGR of 7.22%, the new entity- AddiktSchbang is poised to harness this expansion and set new global creative excellence standards.
Prior to the acquisition, the ‘hottest’ design agency- Addikt has delivered iconic design work for international brands such as Pride Amsterdam, Prada X Armani at Fabrique des Lumières, Rabobank, Autotaalglas, Booking.com, and StarSports IPL.
But in the aftermath of the same, the new entity, AddiktSchbang, will combine India’s cutting-edge technology, British storytelling finesse, and Dutch design excellence to serve over 300 of the world’s largest brands. And powered by a highly talented team of 1300+ professionals, AddiktSchbang is now set to deliver fully integrated marketing solutions.
Furthermore, the formation of AddiktSchbang marks a pivotal first step in Schbang’s ambitious global expansion strategy, with Europe serving as the launch pad for further growth into Africa and the Middle East.
In fact, this strategic move is designed to solidify the agency’s position as a global challenger from India in advertising, providing a comprehensive and integrated approach that meets the evolving needs of the world’s largest brands.
“By uniting this talent with strategic partnerships from global MarTech leaders like Meta, Google, HubSpot, Salesforce, Adobe, and Zoho, the agency eliminates the need for multiple agencies, ensuring seamless and efficient service delivery across all client needs under one roof.
Strong affiliations with industry organizations such as BNO (Association of Dutch Designers), OneClub, ADC, ADCN, AdForum, and the Dutch Embassy of Creativity further reinforce AddiktSchbang’s role as a pivotal force in the global creative landscape,” the agency mentioned in a press statement.
This geographic expansion facilitated by the design agency’s acquisition has led to Schbang having offices in Amsterdam, London, and Mumbai.
Commenting on the development, Harshil Karia, Founder and Managing Director, Schbang, said, “Our acquisition of Addikt and the formation of AddiktSchbang represent a bold step in our global strategy. By merging our technology, storytelling, and design strengths, we are uniquely positioned to deliver innovative solutions to some of the world’s largest brands. As we enter the European market, we’re not just expanding our footprint – we’re setting the stage to redefine creative excellence on a global scale.”
To this, Barry Schwarz, Co-Founder, Addikt, added, “India has proven itself as a world-class leader in digital and IT technology, and now, with this connection to Amsterdam, we are making a logical and ambitious step towards establishing ourselves as a global creative powerhouse. This partnership strengthens our presence in Europe and aligns with Schbang’s and India’s broader ambitions to shape a global network. We focus on creating strong cultural and inclusive connections between brands and their audiences while pushing the worldwide boundaries of creativity and technology.”
Furthermore, Koen Van Ovoorde, Co-Founder, Addikt, also mentioned, “Our work at AddiktSchbang is about pushing creative boundaries and setting new industry standards. Whether crafting a festival identity, pioneering hyper-personalisation, or creating immersive brand experiences, we are committed to delivering work that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of our global clients.”
