Aegis merges De-construct into Isobar after purchase

De-construct, the award-winning digital creative agency, has been bought by Aegis Group and will become part of Isobar, Aegis’ digital network. Aegis is paying &£1.2m up-front, with the possibility of another &£4.8m over the next three years, depending on performance.

Aegis Group chief executive Doug Flynn says: “In an increasingly cluttered media environment, outstanding creativity has become an integral element of effective communication. The UK was one of the few gaps in Isobar’s creative service capability.”

The Isobar name was created in July 2004 to bring together almost all of Aegis Media’s digital businesses under one international brand (MW July 8, 2004). At the start, Isobar offered clients digital services from 25 offices in 19 countries; since then, Aegis has been on the acquisition trail, adding companies including US internet search marketing agency iProspect.com, which it bought two weeks ago for $32m (&£17m).

Aegis also created a brand within Isobar, Diffiniti, for its digital media buying network, with Carat Interactive UK becoming Diffiniti UK (MW August 19, 2004).

De-construct was founded in 2001 by seven staff from the defunct design agency Deepend. Over the past four years it has provided website design and development services to a wide range of companies, including the BBC, Marks & Spencer, Panasonic, Smirnoff and Working Title Films.