The agency, whose expertise is in web strategy and design, will be aligned with TBWA, Tequila and Agency.com. It will retain its own identity in New Zealand, but when presenting to clients elsewhere in the world will adopt one of its parent’s brands.
Shift won global recognition for its work for tourism site www.newzealand.com, for which it won a Webby award in 2005 and 2006. It has worked with Omnicom agencies before on individual projects for clients such as bank ASB.
The size of the stake and the amount paid for it were not disclosed.
Shift founder Selwyn Feary said the deal could lead to Shift expanding beyond its two offices in Auckland and Wellington. “I believe we can help them in the digital space, and they can help us gain clients outside New Zealand,” he said.
