Headland beefs up its client offering with Bladonmore deal

How does a going-places medium sized firm like Headland scale up so it can compete with the big boys and girls – with Brunswick, FTI, Teneo and FGS?

Those big players have thousands of staff in a world where clients want to make one phone call, not three.

Headland now has 250. The ones I have dealt with are all excellent, but the numerical disadvantage is clear if you are a large corporation.

Last week it made a move, buying Bladonmore, the digital, brand and content business founded by former journalist and colleague of mine Richard Rivlin.

The terms are not disclosed, which is preferable for the avoidance of seething jealousy. (I’m sure Rivlin owes me money for a football bet he lost in 1998).

The statement says: “The acquisition equips Headland to support clients with a far broader offer, and across more markets, as senior leaders navigate an increasingly complex picture of stakeholder relationships and scrutiny, and a constantly evolving media and digital landscape.”

You can read the rest of the official version here.

My assumption was that Headland will do the advice, Bladonmore the content, but the division of labour is not so exact.

Bladonmore offers its own advice, on coaching, strategy and narrative, and will keep doing so.

That it has offices in the US, which Headland did not, is part of the appeal

Headland CEO Dan Mines tells me: “We were looking for a strong digital and content business, Bladonmore appealed in several ways. We had some gaps in our offer, we want to take a fuller proposition to the client base.”

This takes them up a few notches for sure, and there isn’t much client overlap, which is good.

Lately, Headland advised Banco Sabadell on fending off a takeover from BBVA, a rare hostile deal in Spain’s banking market and a coup for Headland.

Brunswick were on the other side. Headland wants that match up to become normal.

It has been going for 13 years, but is still a challenger brand in a market that the big players sometimes seem to have sown up, however irritating that is to the rest.

Mines agrees that Headland is still in the position of trying to take market share rather than protect it, but rivals will have noted the Bladonmore deal for sure.

The CEO Richard Carpenter built MerchantCantos, now known as Brunswick Creative. So the flaks at Lincoln’s Inn Fields will have discussed this deal and speculated what it means for them.

Without knowing the terms, my guess is that Bladonmore – slogan: Your story, well told – could have sold for more. This deal just seemed like a fit.

Rivlin says. “I can look my colleagues in the eye and have absolute belief this is good for all of us. We keep on growing; we will be fine.”

Best of luck to Headland and Bladonmore, which are growth companies in a stagnant economy.

The challenges are many, not least that the PR market is suffering from the same insecurities as most others at the moment.

“If you are standing still, you are doing well,” one PR boss says.

All of which suggests this deal will not be the last of its kind.

Flak companies are looking at their content offering, eyeing AI with a mixture of excitement and nerves, and making an honest assessment of where they have gaps.

Nifty firms, with AI expertise, their own data and content, might find that now is a good time to sell.

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Simon.english@roxhillmedia.com