Havas acquires UK experiential agency Bearded Kitten

New Delhi: Havas has acquired UK-based experiential agency Bearded Kitten, bringing the 45-person company under the Havas Play structure in the United Kingdom. The agency will operate as Bearded Kitten, part of Havas Play, within Havas Media Network UK, while continuing from its existing premises.

The acquisition adds to Havas Play’s capabilities in experiential marketing, a category valued globally at $128.3 billion.

The move creates a combined 200-member experiential operation in the UK, merging Bearded Kitten’s creative and production skills with Havas Play’s integrated structure. Founder Barney Sutton will join the Havas Play leadership team and will report to Nick Wright, CEO of Havas Play UK.

Yannick Bolloré, Chairman and CEO, Havas, said, “Bearded Kitten consistently ranks among the top experiential agencies worldwide. We are thrilled to welcome Barney Sutton and the entire team at Bearded Kitten to the Havas family. Their creativity, craft and proven track record will help us capitalise on the experiential marketing boom. The acquisition of Bearded Kitten is a statement of our ambition to scale our Havas Play offering globally.”

Patrick Affleck, CEO of Havas Media Network UK & Ireland, commented, “Experiential is back in high demand and growth, and Bearded Kitten’s creativity and craft set the benchmark for what best-in-class looks like. Bringing them into Havas Play supercharges our ability to deliver bold, immersive experiences that earn brands a meaningful role in culture. This is an exciting new chapter for both them and us as we look to deliver breakthrough work for our clients.”

Nick Wright, CEO of Havas Play UK, said, “Experiential has always been front and centre in our offering, and with Bearded Kitten now part of the team, we can supercharge and scale this even further. Their arrival unlocks bigger, bolder ideas driven by integrated thinking and seamless delivery through one fully connected team. With Bearded Kitten’s award-winning experiential craft and robust in-house production capabilities, we can deliver best-in-class brand experiences at the heart of integrated campaigns, across every brief.”

Barney Sutton added, “From our first conversations with Havas, we knew it was the right fit. We've been particularly selective about potential partners, but Havas Play instantly felt like the missing piece. We're still very much Bearded Kitten, the same people and culture, but now with the scale and resources of Havas Play behind us. We couldn't be more excited for this next chapter!”