Auspicious Holdings has announced its arrival in the creative services space with the acquisition of Studio Yes, a UK commercials business, Blue Chalk Media, a US film company, and the launch of Auspicious Global, a communications agency.
The group intends to be a major player in the creative services sector and already has over 40 staff, a host of craft awards and revenues in excess of $7 million. Further acquisitions are expected in the coming months.
The Auspicious group is run by three of the UK’s most experienced creative services entrepreneurs. Rachel Pendered and Mark Killick built the Media Zoo group into a Sunday Times Fast Track 100 company and PR Week’s fastest growing agency, before selling a large stake to private equity. Barnaby Cook built Casual Films from an office in London into a hugely successful global business with offices in the US and Australia, and the winner of over 100 craft awards before exiting. They are joined by Grace Cook, a commercial and partnerships director, with over 15 years’ experience in events, sales and marketing. The presence of Grace as a shareholder and board director means Auspicious can proudly say it is a majority female owned endeavour.
Rachel Pendered, Auspicious Co-CEO says, “On ‘day one’ we have little debt, extremely low overheads, a global presence and revenues of $7mn. With our buy-and-build strategy and implementation of disruptive tech, we believe we are well-placed to reach $20mn within 12 to 24 months.”
“We have an extremely talented and experienced team that will deliver exceptional quality work for clients at pace and at price. We have listened deeply to what the industries we serve want and are curating a group of companies from film and learning to social and digital to maximize client delight.”
“What’s more, this is a proud majority owned female business. I believe there is still a huge opportunity in viewing the world through the female gaze, with untapped potential in so many sectors, from femtech and pharma to banking and broadcasting.”
Studio Yes is a UK-based award-winning creative video production studio that produces films for many of the world’s most well-loved brands. Its films are distinctive, powerful and all carry its trademark creativity and positive attitude.
Blue Chalk Media is a US-based industry-leading production company, well known for its signature cinematic nonfiction story telling style and authentic expression of the human experience. It produces both short form content and long form documentaries and has won over 125 awards in the last ten years.
Barnaby Cook, Auspicious Co-CEO adds, “These businesses are both best in class and each sit in its own creative space. We believe with the collaborative and creative culture we will establish, Auspicious will be much more than the sum of its parts.”
“I’m looking forward to having a US focus again. In Blue Chalk we have an established and renowned brand that gives us fantastic access to the biggest market in the world.”
Auspicious is also launching Auspicious Global, a specialist communications, digital learning, social, crisis and reputation management agency, whose team has a proven track record of providing outstanding internal and external creative services for brands across the world.
Global has already attracted a number of blue-chip clients including one of the world’s largest businesses, an international holdings company and a leading asset manager. Mark Killick, Auspicious Chair says, “It’s flattering that businesses that already know us from the past are so keen to work with us again. Global will be the workhorse of the group and is already developing some really exciting projects.”