Marketing firm Home acquires fellow Leeds agency First 10

Strategic marketing firm Home has acquired fellow Leeds-based digital agency First 10 Digital.

Home said the acquisition, its second so far this year, will strengthen its digital marketing and technology offering.

First 10 employs a team of 32 and serves a portfolio of national and international brands, including Boots Hearingcare, food company Tilda and sportswear giant Puma.

As part of the deal, First 10 managing director Chris Soames and creative and strategy director Danyl Bosomworth will join Home’s board of directors.

Home’s group chairman, Dave Sewards, said: “The people, clients, quality of services and outputs made the First 10 deal a no brainer for us.

“The fit between them, their business and Home soon became apparent when discussing our long-term visions.”

He added: “We believe this acquisition will greatly enhance the digital customer experiences we can offer our clients.”

First 10 will rebrand as Home and its employees will continue to work from its existing city centre base at Leeds Dock.

Chris Soames commented: “With increasing demand from clients, we knew early in the year we would have to make a critically important choice on how to scale our business.

“Home wasn’t an immediately obvious route for us when we started our M&A journey.”

He continued: “However, it was the shared idea of what the future looked like that made the potential between Home and First 10 so strong. This rapid alignment was the tipping point in the early discussions for us all.

“We’ve been working together for a few months now, even while the deal was still going through, testament to the trust and respect we’ve built already.”

Jonathan Simms and Sarah Harrison of Leeds law firm Clarion managed the deal for Home. Shoosmiths acted for First 10.