Accenture acquires customer insights agency Fiftyfive5

Accenture has acquired Fiftyfive5, a customer insights and advisory business across Australia and New Zealand. The move aims to strengthen Accenture Song’s (formerly known as Accenture Interactive) ability to help clients tap into data insights and performance marketing to accelerate growth and innovation.

According to a statement by Accenture, Fiftyfive5 has a track record in delivering customer insight-driven strategy, customer insight optimised execution and performance measurement. The releases added that the two “share a vision and passion for helping brands” capture new opportunities for growth through insight-led strategy and decision making.  

Founded in 2010, Fiftyfive5 specialises in opportunity identification, brand strategy and positioning, innovation, category strategy, amongst others. It works with clients across health and public services, consumer goods and  services, financial services, communications and media, travel, digital and technology. Its team of more than 200 people across Australia, Singapore, New Zealand and London will join Accenture Song and build upon Accenture strategy, design, performance, technology and large-scale operations capabilities to better serve clients. 

Mark Green, Accenture Song’s Australia and New Zealand lead, said clients are struggling to keep up with the pace of change today, and they are looking for creative solutions and strategic insights for growth. “Fiftyfive5’s addition is timely. The team boasts powerful insights and deep customer understanding, which will significantly enhance Accenture Song’s customer intelligence capability. Importantly, Fiftyfive5 brings top talent, and we cannot wait to see what they can add to our growing team,” he added.

Mark Sundquist, managing partner of Fiftyfive5, said: “Accenture Song is one of the most interesting businesses that’s emerged in our space. We have a shared belief in the importance of customer insight and intelligence to underpin strategy, creativity and execution to fuel growth for our clients.”

 “Fiftyfive5 adds to Accenture Song’s credentials to help our clients drive growth through customer data and insight, " said Jatinder Singh, Accenture Song’s global head of data and analytics.

The acquisition for Fiftyfive5 comes shortly after Accenture Song acquired brand and experience agency Romp in Indonesia. While Accenture Song (formerly Accenture Interactive) declined to share the cost of acquisition, the company said the acquisition of Romp will strengthen Accenture Song’s ability to deliver creative and tech-driven brand experiences for clients across Southeast Asia. Romp, which started up in 2019, has made a name for itself for its creative talent and innovative services across branding, creative and performance marketing in Indonesia.

According to David Droga, CEO of Accenture Song the company isn’t interested in competing against traditional holding companies. In fact, it has a clear goal of "reinvention". According to him, while some might "pigeonhole" Accenture Song in competing with traditional holding companies, Droga said that's not what its business is built around and it is "not trying to replicate the model at all". “The challenge for us is to not be seduced or concerned with having to be the best in the old model. We have to be comfortable in being a leader in this new model. I don't think clients come to us to just sustain something or for increments, that's not what we're in the business of," he added.

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