SAMY acquires Get Engaged in nine-figure deal

Madrid-headquartered agency SAMY is bringing US social-first agency Get Engaged into its business as it looks to expand its presence in the country.

SAMY said the deal would strengthen its position in the market and give Get Engaged greater reach through its global network.

Under the tie-up, Get Engaged will anchor SAMY's US operations, taking the combined business to close to 1,300 employees across 22 offices and more than 55 markets.

The acquisition was sealed in late September and is valued in the low nine figures, Get Engaged co-founder Cam Fordham told Fortune. The deal includes cash and stock.

SAMY chief executive Juan Andres Elhazaz said expanding in the US had been one of the group's main growth priorities.

“Having established a proven track record as a leader in Europe and Latin America, scaling our U.S. footprint was one of SAMY's primary growth objectives and Get Engaged is the ideal partner to lead that expansion,” he said.

SAMY, which is majority-owned by private equity firm Bridgepoint, has also expanded through acquisitions. Last year it bought Amsterdam-based agency team5pm and Germany's Intermate.

Get Engaged will retain its name, with its three founders staying with the business and Alex Dermer stepping into the chief executive role.

“We built Get Engaged to help brands connect with culture in ways that move their businesses forward,” Dermer said. “Joining SAMY gives us the global reach, technology and talent to take that vision further.”

Founded in 2016 by Dermer, Fordham and Ben Hiott, Get Engaged has more than 120 US employees and counts Sephora, DoorDash and Live Nation as clients.

The deal follows a run of acquisitions in the creator agency market. US sports and entertainment agency The Team this week announced its purchase of UK-based Outreach Talent Group, while The Only Agency acquired UK creator management business The Blogger Agent last month.