Digital News South Africa

Jellyfish expands footprint following acquisition of ClickMaven

Digital marketing boutique agency, Jellyfish, has expanded its footprint in South Africa following the recent acquisition of ClickMaven. With its roots in Durban since 2005, this strategic step is in line with Jellyfish's plans to bring quality digital services to the whole South African market.
Tim Lombard, Jellyfish SA managing director.
Tim Lombard, Jellyfish SA managing director.

ClickMaven, an award-winning digital marketing leader established in 2007, has been seamlessly integrated into Jellyfish with the 14 new staff members set to continue the top-level work from their Milpark offices.
“This is really a perfect fit,” said Tim Lombard, South African managing director. “We felt there were a few pieces missing from the Jellyfish puzzle and this integration has made us complete. Culturally, our organisations are very much aligned. Both are research-based and focus on constantly upskilling staff members. This has allowed us to remain at the forefront of new technologies, developing cutting edge marketing campaigns which we are excited to be bringing to Johannesburg.”

Ferdie Bester, founder of ClickMaven.
Ferdie Bester, founder of ClickMaven.

“The combination of ClickMaven's lead generation expertise combined with Jellyfish's full service offering and Google partnerships (Google Analytics 360 and DoubleClick reseller status) makes for a very compelling offering”, says Ferdie Bester, founder of ClickMaven.

Jellyfish has a network of offices in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Europe and America. The company has worked hard to retain a boutique agency feel premised on accountability, flexibility, autonomy and accessibility. However, its impact is by no means small. By researching the most effective marketing tools and devising strategies suited to individual clients, Jellyfish has expanded its network, delivering scale and reach for global brands.

More streamlined focus on regional market

The full-service digital offerings of Jellyfish include analytics – earning them the RAR Digital Award for Analytics – brand analysis and re-structuring; targeted digital marketing across all platforms; conversion optimisation; as well as website development and management; among many others. The latest company integration will further enhance the services offered by Jellyfish with a more streamlined focus on the regional market.

Lombard said they were looking forward to making waves within the South African digital landscape. “When compared globally, South Africa is still some way behind, but catching up at a rapid rate. We see our clients now spending significantly more in this space than they did a year or two ago, and new clients are entering this space with a sense of optimism and more regularity. It has taken some time, but 2018 could see us reach a tipping point.”

With the company acquisition underway, Jellyfish is already getting prepared to astound the local market.

“We have ambitious plans to acquire new office space which reflects our culture and offers our clients a really impactful experience,” said Lombard. “Our training proposition requires significant infrastructure, access, parking and state-of-the-art facilities, all of which we are building into our new office plans. We’re going big. We’re set on emulating the success that our UK and US agencies have already shown by winning Performance Agency of the Year in 2017 for their respective regions. And the ClickMaven deal is an indication of our ambition in the South African market!”

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