MDC has taken a minority equity stake in the award-winning creative agency set up by Saatchis with founders Cliff Freeman and Arthur Bijur in 1987.
Initially the agency was set up to handle the successful Little Caesars account after Saatchis picked up the conflicting Burger King business. The agency bought itself out of Saatchis in 1999 for $4.6m.
Cliff Freeman, chairman and chief creative officer at Cliff Freeman & Partners, said: "MDC and Cliff Freeman share a core belief -- inspired creative and inspired ideas are the strongest weapons any brand can have to survive and triumph."
Cliff Freeman won the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2001 for its campaign for Fox Sport, which beat Leo Burnett London's ad for John West Salmon. The high-impact spot featuring people jumping from cliffs in Turkey.
Cliff Freeman joins a growing network of agencies that also includes Crispin Porter + Bogusky in Miami, Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners and Margeotes Fertitta & Partners, both in New York, and Interfocus in London among a number of others.
Miles Nadal, chairman and CEO of MDC Partners, said: "As one of the most renowned men in advertising, Cliff is incredibly protective of the creative ideals that his agency is based upon. He realised that the agency needed to be a part of something that can take it to the next level without compromising its culture. We are delighted that Cliff Freeman has decided to partner with us and feel he will add tremendous value to the MDC Partners network."
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .