Stagwell acquires creative agency Movers + Shakers

Stagwell Inc. announced on Thursday morning that it has acquired creative agency Movers + Shakers.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Madison Alley Global Ventures advised on the transaction.

The firm joins Stagwell’s “Constellation network” of agencies, where it will sit alongside 72andSunny, Instrument, the Harris Poll and others.

Movers + Shakers brings to Stagwell expertise in emerging social platforms and clients across CPG, beauty, retail, entertainment, fashion, toys and technology. The agency has risen to prominence due to its viral TikTok campaigns featuring original songs, such as the Eyes, Lips, Face campaign for e.l.f. in 2020.

Movers + Shakers added 21 clients to its roster in 2023, including being named social media and culture agency of record for Tinder in September. Other notable clients include e.l.f. Beauty, Neutrogena and Netflix.

The agency is Stagwell’s fourth acquisition of the year, following Left Field Labs in October, Tinsel Experiential Design in July and In the Company of Huskies in April. 

“With their fluency of platforms, the team at Movers + Shakers has proven itself to be the foremost authority when it comes to helping brands create cultural relevance with Gen Z and millennials,” said Justin Lewis, chairman of the Constellation Network, in a statement. “Their penchant for innovation goes hand in hand with our challenger mindset, and will be a boon for those clients eager to create influence and awareness among today’s social-first consumers.”

The deal comes as Movers+Shakers, which primarily operates in North America, looks to grow globally and take on bigger remits with clients, according to CEO and co-founder Evan Horowitz.

“In 2018, clients would come to us for a couple of pieces of great social content. In 2023, CMOs are coming to us asking, ‘How can I transform my brand over the next few years to be culturally relevant?’” he said. “Because we've expanded our capabilities and also our credibility, that invitation to continue to expand the level of thought partnership continues to grow.” 

While the agency continues to specialize in social media creative, co-founder and chief creative officer Geoffrey Goldberg says recent work has expanded into new areas, from strategy, to media to PR. 

Under Stagwell, Movers + Shakers can benefit from access to a wider pool of clients and tap into capabilities and services provided by other agencies under the holding company. 

“We [couldn’t] execute on all those things, but we're still impacting them. But as part of the Stagwell team, we can also execute those things, not just be their strategic advisors,” Horowitz said.

Goldberg and Horowitz, who are married, launched Movers + Shakers in 2016, fusing Goldberg’s background as a Broadway singer and dancer with Horowitz’s expertise in marketing to create a unique offering for brands centered around entertainment.