Havas acquires UK-based experiential agency Bearded Kitten

Havas has acquired the UK-based experiential agency Bearded Kitten, integrating it into Havas Play UK as part of Havas Media Network UK. The agency will operate under the name 'Bearded Kitten, part of Havas Play.'

Bearded Kitten, founded in 2007, works across immersive brand activations and experience-led campaigns. Its existing clients include Netflix, Unilever, Intuit, L’Oréal, Twitch and Beavertown, along with several brands already associated with Havas Media Network UK such as Red Bull, Pokémon, Google and Disney.

The 45-member agency adds expertise in experience design, prop-making, theatrical production and experiential delivery. Its integration forms part of Havas Play’s plans to expand its brand experience capabilities, creating a combined team of about 200 people in the UK.

Bearded Kitten will continue operating from its current location. Founder Barney Sutton will join the Havas Play UK leadership team and will report to Nick Wright, CEO of Havas Play UK.

Yannick Bolloré, chairman and CEO, Havas, said: “Bearded Kitten consistently ranks among the top experiential agencies worldwide… Their creativity, craft and proven track record will help us capitalise on the experiential marketing boom. The acquisition of Bearded Kitten is a statement of our ambition to scale our Havas Play offering globally.”

Patrick Affleck, CEO of Havas Media Network UK & Ireland, said: “Experiential is back in high demand and growth, and Bearded Kitten’s creativity and craft set the benchmark for what best-in-class looks like… This is an exciting new chapter for both them and us as we look to deliver breakthrough work for our clients.”

Nick Wright, CEO of Havas Play UK, said: “Experiential has always been front and centre in our offering, and with Bearded Kitten now part of the team, we can supercharge and scale this even further… With Bearded Kitten’s award-winning experiential craft and robust in-house production capabilities, we can deliver best-in-class brand experiences at the heart of integrated campaigns.”

Barney Sutton, now CEO of Bearded Kitten, part of Havas Play, said: “From our first conversations with Havas, we knew it was the right fit… We’re still very much Bearded Kitten, the same people and culture, but now with the scale and resources of Havas Play behind us. We couldn’t be more excited for this next chapter!”