Description
The Stagwell Group is a global marketing and communications group. Founded in 2015 by Mark Penn, Stagwell companies operate in four areas: digital transformation and marketing, research and insights, marketing communications, and content and media. In 2020, The Stagwell Group announced plans to merge with its affiliate MDC Partners. The merger was completed in August 2021.
History
Mark Penn founded The Stagwell Group in 2015. Penn founded The Stagwell Group with a $250 million investment from former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
In 2017, Stagwell acquired Forward3D, Scout and also acquired Observatory from CAA. The company also acquired pilot movie testing assets from Nielsen and combined them with NRG, and acquired mobile research assets from Nielsen to form HarrisX.
In 2018, Stagwell acquired Ink and later ReputationDefender. Stagwell also secured a $260 million investment from AlpInvest Partners.
In 2020, Stagwell acquired Seward Square Strategies as part of SKDK, as well as Headliner Labs as part of ForwardPMK.
In August 2021, following the merger of The Stagwell Group with MDC Partners, Stagwell formed Stagwell Media Network, a group of multichannel agencies.
