Accenture Acquires CreativeDrive to Help Clients Reinvent Content Creation on Digital and Commerce Channels

CreativeDrive’s global content studios enhance Accenture Interactive’s ability to accelerate clients’ digital commerce transformation

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has acquired CreativeDrive, a global, tech-driven content production company that simplifies, automates and scales the creative asset production process. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The acquisition of CreativeDrive — which helps brands meet the ever-increasing pace of digital and commerce channel activation — will complement Accenture’s existing content, digital marketing, media and commerce service offerings. CreativeDrive’s client roster includes Estée Lauder, Michael Kors and Walmart, among other leading brands.

“Speed is today’s currency, particularly as the COVID-19 pandemic accelerates the massive disruption that brands are experiencing as consumers shift to online channels at an unprecedented pace,” said Brian Whipple, CEO of Accenture Interactive. “The acquisition of CreativeDrive is an investment in our clients and their future success — positioning us even more strongly to help them rise to this challenge and create a content revolution in a creative, cost-effective and agile manner.”

Founded in 2015, CreativeDrive has built a global network of on-premise content studios designed for fast and flexible creative asset production across all format types, including motion, photography, CGI and augmented reality. In addition, its proprietary CD Suite technology system automates key steps in the content creation lifecycle to connect the entire ecosystem of brands, markets, retailers and suppliers.

These capabilities, combined with the scale, speed and business expertise of Accenture Operations, provides companies with a comprehensive offering across content creation production and distribution.

Manish Sharma, group chief executive of Accenture Operations, said, “We help clients drive growth by providing them with agile and scalable solutions. CreativeDrive’s business model — offering the benefit of an in-house content studio model with proprietary technology — provides transparency, the ability to get products and services to market quickly, and data insights to enable success. Clients will benefit from our combined capabilities and we’re excited to have them join the Accenture family.”

Today’s brands demand the ability to create content with quality, consistency and scale across multiple markets, and CreativeDrive’s global footprint will support that need. Headquartered in New York City, with additional locations across the U.S., Australia, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Singapore, South Africa, and the U.K., CreativeDrive has approximately 700 employees and over 400,000 square feet of fit-for-purpose studio space for managed production shoots and co-creation with clients.

“We are thrilled to be joining forces with Accenture to help clients meet their accelerated demand for personalized and compelling content at scale, particularly as many brands today struggle with a fragmented approach,” said Myles Peacock, CEO, CreativeDrive. “As part of Accenture, we’ll be able to create a holistic experience for brands — from content capture through cross-channel activation — and meet the radically evolving needs of brands today.”

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services in strategy and consulting, interactive, technology and operations, with digital capabilities across all of these services. We combine unmatched experience and specialized capabilities across more than 40 industries — powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. With 513,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture brings continuous innovation to help clients improve their performance and create lasting value across their enterprises. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

Accenture Interactive is reimagining business through experience. We drive sustainable growth by creating meaningful experiences that live at the intersection of purpose and innovation. By connecting deep human and business insights with the possibilities of technology, we design, build, communicate and run experiences that make lives easier, more productive and rewarding. Accenture Interactive is ranked the world’s largest digital agency by Ad Age and has been named a Most Innovative Company by Fast Company. To learn more, follow us @AccentureACTIVE and visit www.accentureinteractive.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “likely,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “positioned,” “outlook” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. For a discussion of risks and actions taken in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, see “Our results of operations have been significantly adversely affected and could in the future be materially adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic” under Item 1A, “Risk Factors” in Accenture plc’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended May 31, 2020. Many of the following risks, uncertainties and other factors identified below are, and will be, amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. These risks include, without limitation, risks that: the transaction might not achieve the anticipated benefits for Accenture; Accenture’s results of operations have been significantly adversely affected and could in the future be materially adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; Accenture’s results of operations could be adversely affected by volatile, negative or uncertain economic and political conditions and the effects of these conditions on the company’s clients’ businesses and levels of business activity; Accenture’s business depends on generating and maintaining ongoing, profitable client demand for the company’s services and solutions including through the adaptation and expansion of its services and solutions in response to ongoing changes in technology and offerings, and a significant reduction in such demand or an inability to respond to the evolving technological environment could materially affect the company’s results of operations; if Accenture is unable to keep its supply of skills and resources in balance with client demand around the world and attract and retain professionals with strong leadership skills, the company’s business, the utilization rate of the company’s professionals and the company’s results of operations may be materially adversely affected; Accenture could face legal, reputational and financial risks if the company fails to protect client and/or company data from security breaches or cyberattacks; the markets in which Accenture operates are highly competitive, and Accenture might not be able to compete effectively; changes in Accenture’s level of taxes, as well as audits, investigations and tax proceedings, or changes in tax laws or in their interpretation or enforcement, could have a material adverse effect on the company’s effective tax rate, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition; Accenture’s profitability could materially suffer if the company is unable to obtain favorable pricing for its services and solutions, if the company is unable to remain competitive, if its cost-management strategies are unsuccessful or if it experiences delivery inefficiencies; Accenture’s results of operations could be materially adversely affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; as a result of Accenture’s geographically diverse operations and its growth strategy to continue to expand in its key markets around the world, the company is more susceptible to certain risks; Accenture’s business could be materially adversely affected if the company incurs legal liability; Accenture’s work with government clients exposes the company to additional risks inherent in the government contracting environment; if Accenture is unable to manage the organizational challenges associated with its size, the company might be unable to achieve its business objectives; Accenture’s ability to attract and retain business and employees may depend on its reputation in the marketplace; if Accenture does not successfully manage and develop its relationships with key alliance partners or fails to anticipate and establish new alliances in new technologies, the company’s results of operations could be adversely affected; Accenture might not be successful at acquiring, investing in or integrating businesses, entering into joint ventures or divesting businesses; if Accenture is unable to protect or enforce its intellectual property rights or if Accenture’s services or solutions infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others or the company loses its ability to utilize the intellectual property of others, its business could be adversely affected; Accenture’s results of operations and share price could be adversely affected if it is unable to maintain effective internal controls; changes to accounting standards or in the estimates and assumptions Accenture makes in connection with the preparation of its consolidated financial statements could adversely affect its financial results; many of Accenture’s contracts include fees subject to the attainment of targets or specific service levels, which could increase the variability of the company’s revenues and impact its margins; Accenture might be unable to access additional capital on favorable terms or at all and if the company raises equity capital, it may dilute its shareholders’ ownership interest in the company; Accenture may be subject to criticism and negative publicity related to its incorporation in Ireland; as well as the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed under the “Risk Factors” heading in Accenture plc’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this news release speak only as of the date they were made, and Accenture undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements made in this news release or to conform such statements to actual results or changes in Accenture’s expectations.

Contacts

Kelly Coffed

Accenture

+1 404 219 3100

kelly.coffed@accenture.com

Jenn Francis

Accenture

+1 312 693 4411

jennifer.francis@accenture.com