Havas, the French multinational advertising and public relations company, has announced the acquisition of Wilderness, a U.K.-based social media agency. The deal marks Havas’ second acquisition in 2024, continuing an ambitious expansion strategy.

Wilderness will join Havas Village London this month, bolstering the existing social media services offered by Havas Play, part of the Havas Media Network. Nick Wright, Chief Growth Officer of Havas Media Network UK, will oversee the integration in collaboration with Rosie Holden, President of Havas Play UK.

Havas Chairman and Global CEO Yannick Bolloré has expressed enthusiasm for the acquisition. “We are delighted to welcome Wilderness to our Havas family. Wilderness perfectly aligns with Havas’ unique positioning at the crossroads of entertainment and advertising, helping clients reach their customers in innovative and meaningful ways.”

“We are excited to see how the addition of Wilderness will enhance complementary specialisms provided by Havas Play and others across Havas globally,” Bolloré points out.

Founded in 2015 by Managing Director Tom Jarvis, Wilderness has partnered with global entertainment brands such as Sony Pictures, 20th Century, and Universal Pictures, in addition to clients across sectors like food and drink, FMCG, travel, fashion, and technology. Current clients include Disney+, BBC Studios, Ticketmaster, Now and project work for Sky Mobile, Sykes Holidays, Heineken, and Dolby.

Jarvis highlights the long-term vision for Wilderness. “We aim to become the leading social media agency for clients looking to transform how they approach social within their organization,” he says, acknowledging the “scale and opportunity being part of Havas affords us will allow us to realize that mission.”

This acquisition follows Havas’ recent merger of B2B marketing agency Ledger Bennett with Havas Business in February, demonstrating the company’s commitment to expanding its capabilities and enhancing its offerings for clients across various sectors.