Dive Brief:

• Accenture has announced that it will acquire Mackevision, a German-based 3-D enabled and immersive content producer, expanding Accenture Interactive’s visualization capabilities, according to a company news release. Terms of the deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, were not disclosed. 
• Mackevision, founded 1994, received an Emmy for its CGI work on HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” The company offers visualization and production services to create digital product configurations, virtual showrooms, augmented and virtual reality experiences, point-of-sale kiosks, broadcast video, feature films, and print and digital catalogues. Mackevision has also worked with major automotive brands, including Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai. 
• Mackevision’s technology centers on its ability to leverage engineering data to construct digital twins of physical products. Applying CGI, visual effects and AR/VR to the “digital twins,” the company can create visual content by turning engineering data into immersive and virtual experiences. Accenture plans to leverage this technology to expand its services around connected products, platforms and business models across a variety of industries, the news release said. 

Dive Insight:

The acquisition of Mackevision adds 3-D visualization, animation and visual effects to Accenture Interactive’s lineup of capabilities, further establishing the consultancy as a digital creative powerhouse and pointing to the growing importance of immersive content in digital marketing. Specifically, the deal highlights the potential in extended reality, which the release said is a growing segment in digital visualization and uses AR, VR and other immersive tools to make real-life models and environments a key part of immersive experiences. Accenture also recently launched Accenture Extended Reality.

Accenture is not new to the AR/VR market, but with the significant potential for 3-D visualization and new visual effects, Accenture is ensuring it stays ahead of the game in its ability to create innovative customer experiences. Over the past few years, Accenture has purchased more than a dozen companies, most recently acquiring Ireland-based creative agency Rothco at a time when consultancy like Accenture and Deloitte are looking for a bigger role in creative services. On the flip side, traditional agencies are building their chops in data-driven consultancy work, like we saw earlier this week with the news that WPP has merged four specialty shops to create Kantar Consulting.

Marketing creatives continue to embrace CGI and other visual effects as prominent tools for digital ads and experiences. More and more are recognizing the potential inherent in the technology, particularly AR and VR, to create immersive experiences that can grab the attention of consumers and deepen relationships. Numerous brands have created AR and VR applications, from customized in-store shoppable experiences to interactive games, as a way to promote and differentiate their products and brands. Major platforms like Apple, Google and others are ramping up their AR capabilities and development services in anticipation of the growing role for immersive experiences.