Off the back of acquiring Welikesmall (WLS) in December, multi-discipline creative shop Thinkingbox has announced that it has acquired Aarra, marking rapid growth across North America. With headquarters in New York City, Aarra will be renamed Thinkingbox, and continue to be led by Thinkingbox CEO, Amir Sahba. With these two recent acquisitions, Thinkingbox has grown by 120% in year to year top line revenue.
Aarra’s Founder and CEO, James O’Brien, will transition to the role of Chief Marketing Officer of Thinkingbox. He will oversee new business and growth strategies, and drive the company’s market positioning as one of North America’s leading interactive studios. O’Brien will also spearhead the expansion of the company’s presence in New York, and lead the launch of the next Thinkingbox office in San Francisco. Currently, the agency has a footprint in Vancouver, Toronto, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and New York. O’Brien was also a co-founder of Welikesmall.
“I have worked extensively with the Thinkingbox team over the past two years and am thrilled to formalize our relationship,” said O’Brien. “I have always been impressed with what Amir has built including his vision for growth and dedication to servicing clients.”
Aarra was the first strategic interactive sales management agency of its kind. In its 17 years of operation, it became the go-to partner for agencies and brands seeking the best in digital, creative technology and experiential execution. Aarra’s comprehensive portfolio includes best-in-class digital, creative and production partners, and clients including brands like Reebok, Pinterest, Facebook, Starbucks and Verizon.
“Thinkingbox has worked with James and Aarra on many projects, so joining forces was a unique opportunity for us to become stronger together, under one roof,” explains Amir Sahba. “James brings years of experience across all facets of digital and experiential production. Both Aarra and Welikesmall are poised to be huge assets to our growth.”
