HeadlightVision, which specialises in intelligence products focusing on global trends, youth marketing and targeting 50- to 75-year-olds, had revenues of 拢2.8m for the year ended March 31 2002 and 26 employees. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
WPP, headed by CEO Sir Martin Sorrell, has long been rumoured to be in the market for a creative agency in London to beef up the offering of its Red Cell network.
Names including Mother, DFGW, Walsh Trott Chick Smith and Mortimer Whittaker O'Sullivan have all been mentioned to fill creative gap.
In December, WPP bolstered the US operations of Red Cell when it bought the US advertising agency Berlin Cameron & Partners, which became the New York City office and headquarters of WPP's Red Cell network.
WPP was first reported to be interested in the agency following an article in the Wall Street Journal, which carried the headline: "Small ad agency Berlin Cameron up for sale, WPP apparently interested".
In April, Red Cell's London operation moved into the Isleworth-based offices of Perspectives, its below-the-line sister agency, in an attempt to cut costs after losing the Direct Car Finance account.
However, the move was described as a "short-term fix" and WPP denied it was planning to close the operation.
In a statement, WPP said the acquisition of HeadlightVision "reinforces Red Cell's ability to develop universal strategic brand and content ideas for its clients and continues WPP's strategy of strengthening its networks in important growth sectors and markets."
WPP also owns the J Walter Thompson, Ogilvy & Mather and Young & Rubicam advertising networks.
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