Gusto Collective expands into SEA with acquisition of Mercury Integrated

Singapore-based marketing firm Mercury Integrated has been acquired by Asian brand technology group Gusto Collective as it expands into the Southeast Asian market.

By acquiring Mercury Integrated and recently establishing an office in Malaysia, Gusto Collective aims to accelerate its growth strategy in the APAC region through a network of luxury client partners.

Don't miss: SG agency Mercury Integrated expands into Malaysia

"The partnership with Mercury Integrated marks an important step forward for Gusto Collective, giving the company a truly pan-Asian presence while also doubling down on our commitment to the luxury sector,” said Aaron Lau, CEO and founder of Gusto Collective.

He further added, “With Singapore as our flagship office in the region, we are able to leverage the city-state's position as the gateway to Southeast Asia to drive further growth.” 

According to a press release, Mercury Integrated was founded in 2001 and has worked with global clients such as Burberry, JW Marriot, L’Oreal Group and Nespresso, to name a few, with an integrated offering of marketing consultancy, event management, public relations, digital and social marketing, and influencer engagement.

Gusto Collective, on the other hand, provides integrated Web3 solutions through augmented/virtual reality, blockchain-based market activations, and emerging AI technology which aims to respond to an increasing demand for tech-powered storytelling.

"Joining Gusto Collective is an extraordinary opportunity to combine Mercury Integrated's extensive experience in Singapore's marketing and events industry with the emerging technologies that Gusto Collective is pioneering,” shared Tjin Lee, the founder of Mercury Integrated.

As part of its growth strategy, Gusto Collective also recently acquired Shanghai-based Reuter Communications in 2020 to increase business revenue through a combination of Web 2 to Web 3 products and services. 

In 2021, Gusto Collective’s acquisition of Hong Kong augmented reality specialist 26Hz expanded the group’s capabilities through the provision of AR and XR solutions for clients, such as telecoms leader CSL, Wheelock Properties, Rosewood Hotel Group, DFI and One Cool Group. 

Most recently though, the agency made headlines when it revealed that it would be expanding into Malaysia in partnership with renowned creative director, Colin Sim.

A release to the press stated that the agency is committed to strengthening its local knowledge and network in the Malaysia market.

Helming the team in Malaysia will be Tjin Lee and Albert Pang as managing director, Colin Sim as creative director and Yong Huishan as general manager. They will be supported by a newly formed pioneering team of experienced industry professionals.

“It has been a long-standing dream of ours to bring the high quality and creativity of the work we do with our Singapore clients to Malaysia. We look forward to our dynamic partnership with Colin, Malaysia’s most celebrated creative director, to bring our suite of 360° integrated PR, events, social and digital services to our clients in Malaysia, as well as to bringing Colin’s visionary creativity and content production to our clients in Singapore,” said Tjin Lee, founder of Mercury Integrated.

Colin Sim carries with him 12 years of experience in the industry. He is also the brains behind ByColin, a full-line creative agency in the realm of fashion and beauty in Malaysia encompassing the entire creative process from ideation to creative direction and production in addition to talent management.

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