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US media company takes majority stake in London mobile marketing studio

London-based mobile marketing business, Mobkoi, is set to expand into the US after three years of impressive growth have led to a US media company taking a majority stake in the business.

Self-described global ‘brandtech’ group, You & Mr Jones, has acquired the stake in Mobkoi for an undisclosed amount, in a move that will see the London startup open a new office in New York City with further outposts to follow in Dubai, Singapore and Sydney.

Founded in 2014 by brothers Quentin and Guillame De Pape, the company delivers mobile marketing campaigns for clients including Bentley, Canon and Nespresso.

The studio claims that it is able to leverage direct contacts with premium publishers such as the BBC and the Financial Times to help prevent embarrassing brand placements such as those embroiled in the recent YouTube ad controversy which saw adverts for major organisations placed next to extremist and controversial content.

Chief Executive and Co-Founder Quentin said the shared values of both companies would help support Mobkoi’s next phase of growth which includes its ambitious international expansion plans.

He said: “Today we pride ourselves on being a true partner to brands, at a time where there is a real disconnect between ad tech and brand marketers. After 3 years of hyper-growth we are thrilled to be part of You & Mr Jones.

“We share the same core values and a distinct vision when it comes to using technology to build brands. Collaborating with group companies such as Mofilm and fifty-five together with launching the NY office will be our immediate priorities.”

The majority stake acquisition marks another deal for the investment and development company, You and Mr Jones, which launched back in 2015 with a $350m pot helmed by former Havas CEO David Jones.

The media company has already acquired the likes of MoFilm and theAmplify in that time, and has made a total of 13 investments in companies ranging from content management system Pixlee to Pokemon Go developers Niantic.

Following this latest deal, Jones commented: “The growth in mobile continues to be explosive. Mobkoi has built an extremely impressive business that combines the power of storytelling with the latest in mobile technology.

“Importantly, the company also helps luxury and premium brands address the key issue of brand safety and ensure that their content is appearing in the environments where it deserves to be. We’re excited to partner with Quentin and Guillaume and to be a catalyst for Mobkoi’s global expansion.”

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