We're pleased to announce the acquisition of Vert Digital, a digital marketing and advertising agency based in Atlanta.
Vert Digital’s expertise in paid media, creative, CRM, and analytics complements our current service offerings, further deepening and expanding Croud's stateside operations by tapping into a leading technology hub and talent pool for the benefit of existing and future clients. Croud’s distinct Croudie network of over 2,900 on-demand, in-market digital marketing specialists, will be seamlessly integrated into the Vert business, offering clients truly global scale and expertise.
Vert Digital has been at the forefront of mobile-first digital agencies since 2009, with a dedicated focus on improving the customer journey and driving measurable business impact for its clients. Led by co-founders Kevin Planovsky and Michael Lentz, the agency has evolved with the industry with a team of world-class experts, helping brands turn impressions into conversions and transforming brand awareness into full-fledged brand advocacy, using customized approaches and cross-functional teams. Vert's client roster consists of growing, mid-market Enterprise brands including industry leaders like American Honda Motor Company, First Watch Restaurants, and Barco.
“The US is Croud’s most important strategic growth area over the coming years; our recent organic success highlights that. We are always looking at ways to supplement that growth with acquisitions that enhance that strategy, and in Kevin, Michael and the fabulous team at Vert we found just that,” said Luke Smith, co-founder and Global CEO at Croud.
“Like all of our acquisitions, we have taken our time to find the right partner, and have already been working together with Vert for over a year, which has highlighted the passion, drive and focus they have for their clients. We’re also delighted to expand our footprint in the US; Atlanta is a welcoming city, super well connected and has a great talent pool and client base for us to expand into.”
“Our strong client portfolio and complementary services, combined with Atlanta's high concentration of Fortune 1000 Enterprise companies presents an incredible growth opportunity for all” said Kevin Planovsky, Co-Founder & Principal, Account Strategy, Vert Digital. “Michael, myself and the entire Vert team are really excited about the global opportunities that this acquisition brings, particularly in enabling our clients to tap into world-class expertise through the Croudie network. We’ve already achieved so much together, and we can’t wait to get started on this next chapter of growing and evolving Croud in Atlanta.”
Huge thanks and congrats to Croud’s M&A team, Amit Khanna and Tara Pierce, for leading the deal, as well as Croud’s US legal advisors Blank Rome, and financial and tax advisors Grant Thornton. On the Vert side, the deal was supported by sell-side advisor Bruce Bishop as well as lawyers Andersen, Tate & Carr.
As a whole, 2024 has seen a strong period of double-digit growth for Croud, with big wins in the US and UK, including Frasers Group and Nespresso. Additionally, we appointed Dani Jordan as our first Chief Marketing & Integration Officer last month, responsible for defining and implementing the agency's vision. This follows a string of significant acquisitions including Born Social, Croud Luxe (previously known as VERB Brands) and impakt Advisors, and most recently Metageni.
