Schbang Amps Up Global Expansion; Acquires Design Agency Addikt

EE News Desk Sep 20, 2024

The new entity, AddiktSchbang aims to carve its niche in the global creative industry with its expertise in identity creation, creative technology, and immersive experiences

In a landmark move, Schbang has strengthened its global influence by acquiring Addikt, an Amsterdam-based design agency. Addikt has delivered iconic design work for international brands such as Pride Amsterdam, Prada X Armani at Fabrique des Lumières, Rabobank, Autotaalglas, Booking.com, and StarSports IPL. The new entity, AddiktSchbang, combines India’s cutting-edge technology, British storytelling finesse, and Dutch design excellence to serve over 300 of the world’s largest brands.

As AddiktSchbang, Schbang decisively enters the European market, capitalising on the region’s 11.1 per cent growth in digital advertising, which reached €96.9 billion in 2023. With the European programmatic advertising market projected to grow to €143.03 billion by 2029 at a CAGR of 7.22 per cent, AddiktSchbang is poised to harness this expansion and set new global creative excellence standards.

"Our acquisition of Addikt and the formation of AddiktSchbang represent a bold step in our global strategy," said Harshil Karia, Founder and Managing Director, Schbang. "By merging our technology, storytelling, and design strengths, we are uniquely positioned to deliver innovative solutions to some of the world’s largest brands. As we enter the European market, we’re not just expanding our footprint – we’re setting the stage to redefine creative excellence on a global scale."

AddiktSchbang, powered by a highly talented team of 1300+ experts, is set to deliver fully integrated marketing solutions. By uniting this talent with strategic partnerships from global MarTech leaders like Meta, Google, HubSpot, Salesforce, Adobe, and Zoho, the agency eliminates the need for multiple agencies, ensuring seamless and efficient service delivery across all client needs under one roof.

Strong affiliations with industry organizations such as BNO (Association of Dutch Designers), OneClub, ADC, ADCN, AdForum, and the Dutch Embassy of Creativity further reinforce AddiktSchbang's role as a pivotal force in the global creative landscape.

Barry Schwarz, Co-founder, Addikt said, "India has proven itself as a world-class leader in digital and IT technology, and now, with this connection to Amsterdam, we are making a logical and ambitious step towards establishing ourselves as a global creative powerhouse. This partnership strengthens our presence in Europe and aligns with Schbang’s and India’s broader ambitions to shape a global network. We focus on creating strong cultural and inclusive connections between brands and their audiences while pushing the worldwide boundaries of creativity and technology."

AddiktSchbang is significantly impacting the global creative industry with its expertise in identity creation, creative technology, and immersive experiences. For Pride 2024 Amsterdam, the agency designed a powerful ‘Togetherness’ narrative that resonated with over 500,000 participants.

In creative technology, working with Schbang’s India Technology Hub, the team set a benchmark with Tata Communications by creating 1,000+ tailored web pages, reducing bounce rates by 45 per cent and increasing lead submissions by 169 per cent. The agency also delivered an immersive 360-degree experience for 650 resellers at Prada X Armani by Fabrique des Lumières, solidifying the brands' market presence. These projects highlight AddiktSchbang's seamless design, technology, and storytelling integration, setting new industry standards.

The formation of AddiktSchbang marks a pivotal first step in Schbang’s ambitious global expansion strategy, with Europe serving as the launch pad for further growth into Africa and the Middle East. This strategic move is designed to solidify the agency’s position as a global challenger from India in advertising, providing a comprehensive and integrated approach that meets the evolving needs of the world’s largest brands.

"Our work at AddiktSchbang is about pushing creative boundaries and setting new industry standards,” said Koen Van Ovoorde, Co-founder, Addikt. “Whether crafting a festival identity, pioneering hyper-personalisation, or creating immersive brand experiences, we are committed to delivering work that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of our global clients."