As part of its ongoing strategy to bring together like-minded and skilled creators, interactive production studio Thinkingbox announced the acquisition of Welikesmall (WLS). WLS is a visionary collective of creatives and digital experts, headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT. WLS will now operate as “Thinkingbox,” and the move increases the company’s reach to four markets including: Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Vancouver and Toronto. The combined entity will continue to be run by Amir Sahba, CEO and Founder of Thinkingbox.
WLS and its creative team provide a deep understanding and skill set in live-action production, adding to Thinkingbox’s award-winning digital capabilities. The combined organization positions it as a leader in multiple disciplines including: experiential, digital and content. Together, they will deliver even more impactful campaigns across all platforms and provide a stronger creative option for clients, which currently includes brands like Starbucks, Reebok, Riot Games, Adobe and Intuit.
The acquisition sparks WLS’s transition into becoming Thinkingbox. Michael Kern and Paul Solomon, the Founders of WLS, will take on the new titles of Chief Creative Officer (CCO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO), respectively. They will oversee the creative and technology efforts across all offices.
“After operating for over a decade, it’s time for WLS to evolve. The ability to adapt to new environments makes us human, and change has been a crucial element to the success of WLS. 2019 proved to be a phenomenal year, but it is time to further advance the business by adding new capabilities and talent to our client offering,” explains Kern.
Kern added: “When we met Thinkingbox we found them to be: different yet familiar, smart yet scrappy, kind yet ambitious. Stepping into their office felt like the culture WLS built in Salt Lake City. Plus, Canadians are just nice people.”
Kern will transition to becoming Thinkingbox’s first CCO and oversee over 20 people, including the creative, strategy and content teams.
“As we looked for the right team to join our family, it was critical for our first acquisition to provide an added value to our clients and not just be an increase in headcount. Our objective has always been to position ourselves as a globally reliable and credible creative group,” describes Sahba.
Sahba added: “Mike, Paul, and the Welikesmall team felt like family from day one. Their purpose: “belief in the making” is ingrained in their DNA, which truly resonated with our brand ethos of creating and delivering projects that push the boundaries of our industry.”
Thinkingbox will continue to position itself as a leader in experiential, digital and content production and delivery. Most recently, it worked with Pinterest on its digital, experiential activation at CES 2020 and launching the FIGR AR app with Wunderman Thompson. Most recently, WLS launched the digital rebrand for Happy Egg, completed documentary work for Starbucks with Conservation International, and assisted Riot Games with their 10 year anniversary launch including several new gaming properties.
