CHBi Razorfish buys out London shop Sunbather

CHBi Razorfish, the London-based agency acquired by US agency Razorfish earlier this year, has bought out new media creative shop Sunbather for an undisclosed sum.

Mike Bennett, managing director and creative director of Sunbather, says growing consolidation in the sector prompted the company to look for a buyer. Sunbather, founded in 1995 under independent ownership and profitable for the past two years, counts Shell, the BBC, Microsoft, and BT among its clients.

According to Bennett: “The business is continuing to consolidate, and to anticipate the demands of clients we felt we had to step up a gear in what we offering them.”

Mike Beeston, managing director of CHBi Razorship, says Sunbather’s particular strength in the area – developing TV-based Web systems – would complement his agency’s existing skills.

“They put us in a position where we will be able to take advantage of a massive growth in that area. There’s little appetite for TV-based Web services at the moment. But that will change,” says Beeston.

The 12-strong agency expects to be absorbed into CHBi Razorship by Christmas, following the move by the agency from its existing premises near London Bridge to larger premises at Smithfield.

The merged operation plans to make the move coincide with the rebranding of the agency under the Razorfish banner.