Media and digital marketing group Dentsu Aegis Network Ltd said on Monday it has acquired public relations firm Perfect Relations to strengthen its communications business in India.
The acquisition will help Dentsu move toward achieving its aim of being the second-largest group in the public relations business in India, Ashish Bhasin, chairman and CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network, South Asia, said in a statement.
London-based Dentsu Aegis, part of Japanese advertising group Dentsu Inc., didn’t disclose terms of the acquisition.
“The PR segment in India is forecast to grow at double digits annually and having a scaled business that is well integrated to our company enables us to build on our overall strength and reputation in the market,†said Nick Waters, CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network Asia Pacific.
Dentsu will retain the brand Perfect Relations and its senior leadership, it said. Perfect Relations’ group managing director Dilip Cherian and CEO Pradeep (Bobby) Kewalramani are joining the Dentsu group, the firm said.
Perfect Relations Group has 19 offices in India with over 500 associates. They offer PR services such as corporate reputation management, brand and marketing communications, media management and crisis management. Its client list includes Coca-Cola, Nokia, Airtel and Honda, the firm said.
Dentsu has previously, too, struck acquisitions in India. In October last year, it acquired Mumbai-based events agency Fountainhead Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.
In January last year, Dentsu signed an agreement to buy a 90% stake in WAT Media Pvt. Ltd, which operated a full-service digital agency in the country under the brand WATConsult. In 2012, it acquired a 51% stake in Mumbai-based advertising agency Taproot India Communication Pvt Ltd.
The public relations industry in India has seen a few acquisitions in the past. In 2007, French group Publicis Groupe’s PR arm MSL acquired Hanmer and Partners to enter the Indian market. In October 2010, it acquired 20:20 Media, a PR and social communications firm.
In 2011, Omnicom Group’s Ketchum acquired PR firm Sampark. In 2013, Weber Shandwick, the PR arm of Interpublic Group, acquired its JV partner Corporate Voice Weber Shandwick.
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