Auckland, New Zealand – Two of New Zealand’s independent agencies, Thompson Spencer and Reason, have announced a landmark merger forming one of the largest independent agency groups in the country.
Both agencies have operated for 15 years and established themselves as category leaders. The newly merged business will be known as Thompson Spencer Group, with both the Reason and Thompson Spencer businesses operating in market under the leadership of Melanie Spencer and Tim Pointer as co-CEOs.
The merger expands Thompson Spencer Groups’ capabilities, combining digitally-led and ATL creative and media expertise with performance marketing to offer a fully integrated approach focused on delivering measurable results and a full-funnel service for brands looking to the future
Thompson Spencer is a full-funnel creative and media agency, founded by Wendy Thompson and Melanie Spencer. The agency has an enviable line-up of clients including Bupa, Wattyl (Aus/NZ), Asahi, Honda, London City Airport, Mitre 10, Musashi, Seagrass Hospitality (Global) and Auckland Transport and completed four acquisitions in the last four years including The Social Club (influencer marketing agency); Flying Tiger (Chinese Social Media Marketing Agency), Magnesium (Accredited Media and Content Production Agency) and People of Influence (Talent Agency).
Meanwhile, Reason, co-founded by Tim Pointer and Matt Rowe, has established itself as a leading performance agency renowned for propelling brands to exceptional results. Reason’s acquisition of Absolute Analytics in 2021 significantly enhanced the agency’s data and insight capabilities, further strengthening their ability to deliver performance-led strategies. Reason boasts an impressive roster of clients, including Chubb Life Insurance, Briscoe’s & Rebel Sport, Woolworths, Tourism Holdings (THL), Caci Clinic, Hirepool, CANZ, DoorDash NZ and Australia and Timely, demonstrating their broad expertise and proven track record across diverse sectors.
Melanie Spencer, co-founder and co-CEO of Thompson Spencer, said, “Most mergers happen when agencies need to consolidate to survive – this is the exact opposite with both businesses coming off the back of record-breaking years of growth despite the challenging economic environment.”
He added, “Both Thompson Spencer and Reason are at the top of their game. We’re growing, winning new business and making waves in our industry. The timing was right – this is about supercharging that momentum by bringing together two high-performing teams that share a bold vision for the future.”
Meanwhile, Wendy Thompson, co-founder of Thompson Spencer, commented, “This is a coming together of strengths. Clients no longer want their creative and media strategies sitting in silos. By merging with Reason, we’re creating an integrated powerhouse that blends world-class creativity with deep performance marketing expertise. We’re setting a new standard for what a modern, independent agency can deliver.”
