Lippincott agrees to buy Brooklyn studio Athletics to speed up brand activation

Lippincott, the brand consultancy that has been around for more than 80 years, is buying a studio that builds things. It has agreed to acquire Athletics, a New York brand and innovation studio, with completion expected on 2 November.

Terms were not disclosed.

What Athletics brings

Athletics works across identity, digital experiences, creative technology and motion. It has also built its own AI software, Sesame, which creates custom tools for brand activation. Its clients include Salesforce, IBM, Google, Amazon, MoMA and Major League Soccer.

The whole team of around 25 people, led by CEO Jameson Proctor, joins Lippincott, and Athletics keeps its Brooklyn office.

Why Lippincott wants it

Lippincott, part of Oliver Wyman, wants to get clients from strategy to real-world activation faster. CEO Michael D'Esopo said Athletics' practical focus "strengthens our ability to translate ambitious ideas into tangible applications." Proctor called Lippincott "a natural home for the next chapter of Athletics."

It is a pattern worth watching. Consultancies and strategy-led firms keep buying small studios with genuine making skills and their own technology. A proprietary tool like Sesame can be the thing that turns a good studio into an acquisition target.

Built your own tech inside your agency? It may matter more to buyers than you think. Agencies.co

Sources: Lippincott announcement (PR Newswire), citybiz