MSQ Unites The Gate and MBAstack

MSQ has created a leader in joined-up brand and customer experience creativity with the merger of The Gate and MBAstack in London.

The combined entity is called The Gate and is designed to partner progressive marketers looking for strong integration of brand building, customer experience and CRM, in order to build the powerful brands of the future.

The move comes on the back of record annual results for both agencies and will build on the work they are already doing together with clients, including 3’s SMARTY Mobile.

The new agency offers clients the powerful blend of creativity, data and technology to deliver on The Gate’s promise: “Find the gate, walk through walls.”

The newly combined entity will be led by Jamie Elliott as CEO, Stephen Maher as Chair, Kit Altin as Chief Strategy Officer and Lucas Peon as Chief Creative Officer.

James Middlehurst and Charlotte Wolfenden (currently MDs of MBAstack and The Gate respectively) will be Managing Directors responsible for joining up the industry leading brand and customer experience practices.

The Gate has been in Campaign’s Top 10 New Business rankings for the past two years winning pitches including The AA, Very and Gigaclear, it has also won over 50 awards for creativity at Cannes Lions, D&AD, EFFIEs, APG Awards, Creative Circle, One Show, CLIOS, The Marketing Society Awards and Transport for London’s Diversity in Advertising competition in recent years.

MBAstack has doubled in size since its formation three years ago following MSQ’s acquisition of MBA – winning new assignments from brands such as AkzoNobel/Dulux, Away Resorts and DoorDash, as well as pitching successfully together with The Gate to win partnerships with 3’s SMARTY Mobile amongst others. It has also won the coveted IPA CPD Platinum award 9 years in a row for its talent development.

Jamie Elliott, CEO of The Gate, said, “This union formalises what we have been doing informally for a couple of years now. Building on strong track records in brand and CX creativity, we have developed another track record in joining them up. Together, we are better set-up to give a tangible advantage to the world’s leading marketers and, as a bigger creative gang, shake the market up.”

Stephen Maher, Chair of The Gate, said, “We know that to win today, great brands need to equally fuse the power of data, tech and creativity in marcomms as well as always think and operate full-funnel . That is why this merger is so apposite and timely - so we can meet these increasing client demands and can consistently and brilliantly deliver for our clients across every customer touchpoint to accelerate their commercial success.”

Kate Howe, Executive Director MSQ, said, “Everything about MSQ is designed to be client-centric. This move is further recognition of the speed at which brands need to move today and clients’ need for transformative creative platforms that can deliver distinctive, relevant and personalised experiences at every touchpoint. There’s never a better time to unite two agencies than when they are both operating brilliantly and for us that time is now.”