LADbible owner acquires Uncovered in deal worth up to £33.8m

The owner of LADbible has acquired a 75% stake in Gen Z creative agency Uncovered as it looks to build a stronger direct revenue business with brands.

The acquisition, worth up to £33.8 million, gives LBG Media a social-first creative agency at a time when publishers are under pressure to reduce their reliance on platform-driven traffic. By combining Uncovered's creative work with LADbible's publishing reach, LBG Media said it would be better placed to help brands create content and connect with young audiences.

The deal includes an initial payment of £26.8 million, with a further £7 million tied to Uncovered's financial performance in 2026 and 2027. LBG Media also has options to acquire the remaining 25% stake at a later date.

Founded in 2017 by Chris Cookson and Catherine Orr, Uncovered works with brands including Tesco, KFC, Nationwide, Rightmove and ClearScore across social strategy, content production, creator partnerships and social media management.

Uncovered generated £10.2 million in revenue in 2025 and is expected to grow revenue by at least 50% this year, according to LBG Media.

Both founders will remain with the business following completion, while Uncovered will continue to operate under its existing brand.

"Today we're acquiring Uncovered – one of the UK's leading social-first creative agencies," LBG Media chief executive Solly Solomou wrote on LinkedIn.

"The biggest brands in the world no longer ask, 'Where do we find young audiences?' They ask, 'Who can help us understand culture, create content people actually care about, and connect us with those audiences?'"

Cookson said the deal would help accelerate Uncovered's growth in both the UK and US.

"Since launching Uncovered, our mission has been to build the best social-first creative agency in the world," he wrote. "Joining LBG Media allows us to accelerate that mission in the UK and US with the backing of one of the world's leading social entertainment companies."

The acquisition comes amid a wider wave of investment and consolidation across the creator and social marketing sector. Earlier this month, Accenture Song agreed to acquire creator marketing agency Whalar, while Publicis Groupe acquired Fabric Social in April.