Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief
Is there any stopping Amscreen, the UK’s largest nationwide Digital out of Home network owner? Last week they told us that they were entering Europe in a big way and this week they announce that they are acquiring the entire Sales and Marketing Operation of Digicom, the specialist Digital out of Home Sales house founded two years ago by Tom Goddard.
This is all part of Amscreen’s strategic plan to accelerate its U.K. growth and provide a solid platform for expansion into Europe.
In just two years Amscreen has successfully developed award-winning Digital Signage Networks in major forecourt, convenience, travel and health environments. Amscreen has worked alongside Digicom as its exclusive Sales partner during the expansion of its network, which currently broadcasts on over 3000 screens nationwide to a UK audience of 25 million a week.
Simon Sugar, Amscreen’s Chief Executive told us “I am very excited about us acquiring Digicom and look forward to working closely with Chris Forrester and his team who will help us to further develop the business. Having become market leaders in the UK, we want to achieve the same across Europe and bringing Digicom in-house will allow us to replicate our UK success internationally”.
In the deal, Digicom’s Chris Forrester becomes Amscreen’s European Managing Director of Sales & Marketing. Tom Goddard becomes Deputy Chairman and an Amscreen shareholder and will support CEO Simon Sugar in the key areas of Media Sales and Development.
Tom Goddard told us “There can be no finer endorsement of one’s work than when a valued and respected client invites you to join their business. The consolidation of our interests will provide the back-bone of our planned roll out into Europe”.
The ‘Digicom’ legal entity and name is being retained by Tom Goddard (we understand that he may use this for management services at a later date) and ALL Digicom staff will move over to work for Amscreen going forward.
The biggest affect this has on the UK industry is losing a company like Digicom that was setup to represent small to medium, independent digital networks. It’s our understanding that ‘third party sales’ is something that (new) Amscreen may consider in the future but at the moment they undoubtedly have their hands full supporting their U.K. and European growth plans.
The gap left by the demise of the likes of PH4 and Brightspace Media that Digicom used to fill is now a void once again.
August 2nd, 2011 at 07:23 @349
Major deal, well done to both parties.
The question now is, who will step up as the leading independent media sales house for DigitalOOH in the UK? A title once worn by Digicom, but not anymore.
August 2nd, 2011 at 07:58 @373
Perhaps PH4 or Brightspace Media will return from the dead to do UK Media Sales for the smaller network ? 😉
August 2nd, 2011 at 08:04 @378
@Adrian Now you really are showing your industry age and so am I because I remember them both very well.
August 2nd, 2011 at 08:43 @404
No suprises there then.
August 2nd, 2011 at 10:07 @463
Great deal for Amscreen and I am sure that the talented Digicom team will continue to lead the UK DOOH market.
Regarding the hole left by Digicom; there are lots of talented OOH individuals out there who aren’t currently employed for one reason or another; maybe one or more of them will pick up the challenge? However, without Amscreen’s networks it’s going to be much more like the itinerant DOOH network sales in the US with very small networks and lots of admin. Pitch Alert: If you want to talk to a company with the best sales and back office tools to take this on please feel free to contact us!