The Weber Shandwick collective acquires extended reality (XR) agency, diverse interactive
The Weber Shandwick Collective (TWSC), the world’s leading earned-first network, has today announced the acquisition of Diverse Interactive, an award-winning agency specialising in Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technology. The move enables the business to expand its technical capabilities into Extended Reality (XR) to offer clients even more cutting-edge solutions.
Diverse Interactive was founded in 2014 by Ben Fryer and Jake Warren-Simpson and has developed a reputation for delivering immersive experiences across a range of industries, including retail, events, and education. They will join forces with TWSC’s digital transformation agency, Flipside to provide clients with more comprehensive digital solutions that cater to their specific needs. The merger is effective immediately, with Diverse Interactive’s 12-strong team re-locating as part of the deal.
Founded in 1996, Flipside was acquired by Weber Shandwick in 2016 and delivers digital transformation, digital product development, reporting and analytics across a broad range of clients. Combined expertise will now include VR, AR, Metaverse, immersive learning and virtual production. Flipside’s current Group Managing Director Marcus Dyer, will continue in his role, leading the newly combined team alongside Phil Hakim, Flipside’s Group Director.
“We have admired Diverse Interactive’s ground-breaking work in Extended Reality from afar,” said Dyer “so it’s cracking to have them join the family. Diverse Interactive’s people, performance and capabilities fit into our future vision for the business. We are proud to be adding their significant technical bench strength to Flipside’s offering, allowing us to expand our services in the rapidly growing AR and VR market.”
Ben Fryer, Co-Founder of Diverse Interactive, said: “We are thrilled to join Flipside. Our shared passion for delivering innovation and technology through digital transformation and a shared vision for the future of XR and the Metaverse led us to this exciting opportunity. The spatial content revolution and the next generation of the internet are upon us. We’re wasting no time in working with our clients to help adopt this incredible space and are already architecting a host of immersive experiences that I know will captivate audiences across the globe.”
The acquisition of Diverse Interactive reinforces TWSC’s commitment to providing clients with the latest technologies and innovative solutions. With their combined expertise and capabilities, the company is well positioned to lead the way in the future of AR and VR technology for TWSC’s broad client base.
Michael Frohlich, Global Chief Transformation Officer and EMEA CEO, TWSC, said, “The move to acquire Diverse Interactive represents a bold step into the Metaverse for The Weber Shandwick Collective. We remain focused on building out our capabilities to deliver both immediate impact and sustainable value for our clients – and this acquisition allows us to do just that. The shared vision and passion within this business can only continue to propel us into the next stage of our growth story.”
The Weber Shandwick Collective combines Weber Shandwick’s earned, creative and data analytics capabilities with deep specialist expertise in digital and social solutions through its agencies Flipside and That Lot.