Branding Edge to buy 51% stake in lifestyle and influencer marketing firm

Branding Edge Strategic Communication, a creative strategy consultancy firm, is planning to acquire a majority stake (51%) in a lifestyle and influencer-focused agency in India. While currently carrying out due diligence on the deal, the company has not disclosed the name of the target firm being acquired. The deal is expected to be formalised in the current financial year.

The acquisition is expected to help Branding Edge leverage the influencer-driven strategy, implement an audience-first approach, and embed data-driven solutions into its core services. Lifestyle and influencer marketing are becoming promising categories that can help brands reach their target audiences effectively.

The growing significance of these two categories can be seen in the industries such as fashion, wellness, and entertainment where digital storytelling prominently impacts consumer choices. With this acquisition, Branding Edge hopes to be better equipped to provide its clients with effective strategies to develop deep emotional connections with their target audiences.

Rahul Tekwani, founder and managing partner, Branding Edge

The company has multiple clients in the B2C space where it manages reputation and branding. This acquisition will help it offer a 360-degree coverage of brand and reputation management services to its clients. In addition, the acquisition is expected to give the company an entry into the lifestyle segment.

Commenting on the proposed acquisition, Rahul Tekwani, founder and managing partner, Branding Edge, said, “We are looking to build a competitive edge in the lifestyle and influencer space. There are some gaps in the industry which we want to fill while finding synergy with people who already understand these segments well.”

Tekwani informed that following the acquisition, the company would expand its financial services and pre-IPO capabilities more aggressively. “We have achieved some major results in working for clients like DOMS who got a major capital market response and we are currently marketing large corporates who will soon be filing their IPO papers. We are enhancing our ability to meet the evolving needs of brands,” he added.

Branding Edge is currently evaluating multiple inorganic options in untapped domains and will continue to pursue its inorganic growth strategy in the coming months.