Selbey Anderson buys award-winning brand response agency, Burn

Brand response agency Burn today announces its acquisition by Selbey Anderson, the fast-growth marcoms group.

Founders Julie Cheetham and Guy McConnell will continue to lead the agency, which was established in 2005.

Burn, whose brand response approach includes deep expertise in CRM, data and direct is multi-award winning and serves both B2C and B2B clients from its South West London base. The agency, which has won a host of awards for strategy, creative and effectiveness, is recognised as one of the best direct agencies in the UK – having been voted the UK’s number 1 for CRM and DM several times over the last 5 years.

Driven by its purpose ‘ever better,’ the agency seeks to continuously improve results and returns for clients. Its founders believe that joining Selbey Anderson will accelerate its growth and bring new benefits to its team and clients.

Cheetham and McConnell were co-directors at Black Cat when it was acquired by WPP prior to setting up Burn, so both have experience in building value and big group integrations. ‘We’re in different times now though’ says Cheetham ‘where the big networks are un-bundling and clients want and need to work with smaller specialists who can work autonomously or seamlessly with peers to create value. Agile agencies working as kindred spirits can achieve integration in a way which often eludes the network agencies. McConnell added ‘Selbey Anderson is building a group that serves current client needs and is the perfect partner for Burn, allowing us to remain dedicated to what we do best while belonging to a dynamic, bigger network’.

Burn’s clients will now have access to behavioural and data science led planning, enhanced digital capabilities, in-house content creation and PR capability through the rapidly growing group, led by Dom Hawes (Group CEO). Established in 2018, Selbey Anderson is backed by significant private investment and, so far, has acquired communications consultancy Unity (less than two weeks ago), Greentarget, Flagship Consulting and Orckid to sit alongside Sharper B2B Marketing and Drum Horse which it founded.

Group CEO Dom Hawes says: ‘Burn adds valuable skills and experience to the group. Customer and revenue acquisition is one of the key service practices within Selbey Anderson, so Burn’s deep expertise in brand response, CRM, data and direct help establish us in that area.

Here’s why BURN is so important right now.

Covid-19 has been a human tragedy for many and I wouldn’t play down how dangerous it is to health and life. But, with the exception of businesses that were mandated to close, a lot of business losses over the past eight months have been own goals. It’s time for business leaders get their teams back on the pitch with a positive mindset, looking for deals. The best way of doing that right now is using an integrated approach underpinned by creative direct response.

Burn is another multi-award winning agency joining Selbey Anderson. Awards of their calibre are testament to the quality, skill-set and experience of the team. We knew right away that the business and culture fit was spot on.”