W acquires House PR amid expansion plans

W has acquired House PR as part of an ambitious expansion strategy that has already seen the company open offices in Singapore and Amsterdam.

The deal will add scale to W in the UK, while it also grows internationally. House PR will keep its name and continue to trade as a standalone business within the wider group.

House PR will bring in expertise in entertainment and hospitality brands as well as a strong reputation for delivering culturally relevant creative campaigns, according to W. This will provide W with increased ability to ‘manage conflict effectively’.

The acquisition will allow House to operate internationally through W’s expanding hubs in Singapore and Amsterdam, where it opened its new office last month. House PR’s management and staff are to be housed at W’s new global HQ in Great Titchfield St, London W1, which was completed last month. The two agencies will be based on separate floors to maintain their distinct identities as well as operational independence.

Ginny Paton will continue to lead the House PR business as managing director, with Charlotte Brooks as board director. W founder & CEO Warren Johnson joins the board as chairman.

Johnson said: “Having already proven our mettle internationally, we felt the time was right to supercharge W’s growth in the UK through strategic acquisition. From our first meetings with Ginny and her team, it was clear that there was an unbeatable synergy between W and House, both in terms of clients and culture, which made the agency a clear choice for us. We foresee genuinely exciting times ahead and envisage dramatic growth together.”

Paton said: “We’d reached a natural point to take stock and assess how to take House to the next level. It made total sense to partner with a bigger agency that will allow us to take a step up in scale. W has got both a fantastic track record and proven appetite for growth – both of which were factors that were very important to us. Having access to W’s senior team will be invaluable as we enter an exhilarating new era for House PR. We’re delighted to become part of the W family.”