Accenture buys Dutch agency Storm Digital to hone programmatic offering

Dive Brief:

Accenture has acquired Storm Digital, a Dutch digital marketing agency that specializes in search, social and programmatic ad solutions, according to a news release from the consultancy.
The deal aims to expand the presence of Accenture's marketing services division, Accenture Interactive, in the Dutch market and support its capabilities with creative strategy, content creation, activation, measurement and optimization across platforms.
Storm Digital launched in 2006 and focuses on a range of areas, including data collection, audience analytics, and search, social and programmatic advertising. The company has worked with brand clients like KLM, Exact, ABN AMRO and Rituals, and specializes in the financial services, automotive, retail and travel sectors.

Dive Insight:

Accenture Interactive has steadily acquired more than a dozen marketing shops over the past few years as it angles to strengthen its digital positioning and win more client business from traditional ad agencies. The Storm Digital buy continues the trend of the consultancy centering more of its purchases around specific markets, helping to build out a focus, not just on digital marketing services, but also localization — an area many marketers struggle with.

In the past several months alone, Accenture also bought Kolle Rebbe, a digital-first agency based in Germany, and the Brazilian content marketing shop New Content. Both agencies have received notoriety for their local work with some major brands, such as Kolle Rebbe's campaigns with Netflix or New Content's with Electrolux.

The Storm Digital news additionally signals that programmatic is an area Accenture is looking to deepen its specialization in as marketers seek out partners that can help them navigate a tricky space that is rife with transparency issues. Last year, the company formed a Accenture Interactive Programmatic Services unit in recognition of the trend of bringing programmatic work in-house.

The arm is built on three core areas: programmatic consulting and in-housing; media strategy, planning and activation; and ad tech implementation and support. HP, Radisson Hotels and Melia Hotels have already worked with the group. Buying Storm Digital further supports the initiative and mirrors other recent acquisitions by Accenture, such as that of the U.S.-based ad tech firm Adaptly.

Adaptly focuses on media buying across large digital platforms such as Amazon, Facebook, Google, Instagram and Snapchat. It names Chico's, Mazda, Prudential and Sprint among its clients.