History Will Be Kind buys Sydney brand agency Doublestar Co

History Will Be Kind (HWBK), the Sydney communications agency within Deepend Group, has acquired brand and design agency Doublestar Co. The deal was reported by Mumbrella and Mediaweek. Terms were not disclosed.

Doublestar Co was founded in 2019 by Jye Smith and Baptiste C David. In six years it has delivered more than 250 projects across brand, strategy, content and film for clients including Advanced Navigation, Airtasker, BYD, Hanrob and Kayo Sports.

The whole Doublestar Co team moves into HWBK. Smith joins as executive creative director, bringing more than 20 years of experience including senior roles at Red Engine, PwC and Weber Shandwick. He works alongside HWBK founder and CEO EJ Granleese and managing director Edwina Brook, who took the role in September 2025.

Why this deal makes sense

HWBK built its name in earned communications, influencer and social. Doublestar Co brings brand strategy, design and production. Put together, the agency can now offer brand and creative strategy, PR, influencer, integrated campaigns, content, film and digital design under one roof.

Granleese framed the deal around timing: HWBK can now get involved with clients much earlier in the brand-building process, rather than being brought in once the brand is already set. That shift matters commercially. The agency that shapes the brand usually ends up owning more of the relationship, and more of the budget.

Smith's view is that strategy and craft should never have been separate stages. As he put it, "splitting them is how you end up with work that's smart but forgettable." Brook added that the deal marks the start of a new phase for an agency already in strong shape, with her focus now on raising the quality and impact of the work.

HWBK arrives at the deal with momentum. It was named Agency of the Future at the APAC In2 SABRE Awards, made PRovoke Media's Top 14 PR agencies in APAC, and won Employer of the Year at the Mumbrella CommsCon Awards.

What founders can learn from this

This is a capability deal, not a scale deal. HWBK did not need more of what it already does. It needed the piece that comes before it in the client's process, and buying a proven team was faster than building one.

That is good news for boutique founders. A specialist agency with a clear craft, a credible client list and a founder who can step into a senior creative role is exactly what growing comms and PR groups are looking for. The founder's next role matters as much as the price: Smith moves from running a small agency to leading creative at a larger, award-winning one.

If you run a brand or design studio, the most natural buyers may not be other design agencies. Look at the PR, social and content agencies that keep hiring you, or keep wishing they could.

Thinking about who would value your agency most? Talk to Agencies.co.

Sources: Mumbrella, Mediaweek