Belfast UX agency Fathom joins forces with super-agency Low&Behold

The group is the brainchild of Darren Low, founder of Liquorice, which is one of the agencies involved in the new venture.

London and Carlisle digital agency Upbeat Productions, Warrington brand communications agency Bugler Smith, Birmingham’s JC Social Media and Belfast’s premier UX agency Fathom, which also has an office in Dublin, are the other four.

Collectively the new agency will be known as Low&Behold, with Darren as CEO and founders of some of the other agencies taking positions on the board.

Low&Behold will provide a comprehensive range of services including marketing and strategy, UX and development, creative, paid, earned and owned digital media, PR, events and internal communications.

Each individual agency will retain its identity during an adjustment period, while some owners will form the group’s board of directors.

Clients will include Pets at Home, Just Eat, Which?, Yodel, SLG Beauty, Alliance Pharmaceuticals, Haynes, Tesco Mobile and permanent tsb.

Darren said: “It’s fantastic to finally be able to reveal the new business and officially welcome staff from all the agencies to Low&Behold.

“I’ve long believed there’s a way to bring the best of niche independent expert agencies and the strength and stability of the larger holding company model together, forming a highly capable, agile agency model that can wrap the right expert arms around any client.

“Low&Behold has this and I’m confident we can execute any brief in a workmanlike manner, but with the engaged and invested service delivery that is in the DNA of all the agencies we have acquired.

Commenting on the acquisition, Fathom founder, Gareth Dunlop, added: “We have worked in the experience design industry since 2011 and join the Low&Behold business to broaden the services we can offer our own clients, and provide UX and service design specialisms to other clients within Low&Behold.

“Current Fathom customers will be looked after by the same exceptional Fathom team, and the user-centred design principles baked into the Fathom DNA will influence the digital design processes for clients across the increased portfolio that Low&Behold now has.

“As well as allowing Fathom to better serve its current customers, the acquisition offers opportunities for increasing business throughout UK and Ireland.”

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