Escalent Buys Omnicom's Hall & Partners and C Space

Analytics and advisory firm Escalent has acquired brand and communications research consultancy Hall & Partners and online community specialist C Space from marcoms giant Omnicom. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

Acquired by Omnicom in 2003, London-headquartered Hall & Partners, which also has offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, partners with clients to shape brand strategy and optimize brand and campaign performance. Boston-based C Space, which Omnicom took over in 2011, is a customer insight, strategy and innovation agency, focusing on private online communities, co-creation events, workshops and storytelling and insights activation. C Space also has offices in London, New York, San Francisco and Mexico City.

The two firms now join Escalent, which was previously known as Market Strategies International-Morpace, and combines proprietary data capture methods and technologies with industry expertise and a visualization toolset. Escalent is headquartered in Livonia, Michigan and has locations across the US and in Canada, China, India, Ireland, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, UAE and the UK. Through the deal, the enlarged group will offer access to a proprietary platform that helps manage brand knowledge and insights, a solution for building communities, and a presence with nearly 2,000 employees in twenty countries.

As part of the acquisition, Hall & Partners CEO Tim Wragg and C Space CEO Jessica DeVlieger will continue to lead their organizations. Escalent CEO Melissa Sauter comments: 'This union is rooted in unparalleled expertise in what drives human beings, cultures and markets - an understanding that makes our team incredibly valuable partners and positions our clients for success in today's fast-paced, ever-changing business climate. Together, there is tremendous growth potential for our employees, clients and shareholders across the globe.'

Web sites: www.escalent.co , www.hallandpartners.com and www.cspace.com .