Cummins & Partners buys New York creative agency dc3 as it pushes for scale in the US
Sean Cummins at the 2015 National Radio Conference
Australian-based full-service agency group Cummins & Partners has continued its push for global scale by buying New York-based creative agency dc3.
The move sees dc3 founder Todd Irwin become a partner and chief creative officer of the agency, which was launched 18-months ago by Sean Cummins. Chief strategist chief strategist Arwa Mahdawi on the agency’s partnership team.
He told Mumbrella: “To compete with the big box agencies here you need scale. That’s the reality here. New York advertising is mythologised a bit too much. You need money and courage. Even shops like Leo Burnett closed down in New York.
I’ve worked in New York. And what Sean is doing…on his own nickel is awe inspiring and perhaps foolhardy. Droga (whilst not an Australian agency) got seed money from Publicis then two rounds before WME bailed them out. Johannes Leonardo is owned by WPP. It is tough to be an independent. If they did partner up with someone they would be as good an agency as anyone in the world. It’s a money game there. But if anyone could do it…
I have to agree, in the face of the misogynistic holding groups, he looks like a beacon of light.