By Max Fellows, Founder of allpoints
Bearded Kitten, Bigger Bets and Broader Reach
December rounded off a remarkable year for dealmaking across the events, experiential and broader agency ecosystem. Against a backdrop of heightened strategic activity where buyers are increasingly looking to build scale, deepen capabilities and position for solid growth in 2026, December did not disappoint. The month showed a flurry of activity with a set of headline transactions signalling both ongoing trends of consolidation and targeted capability expansion.
The month began with a flurry of mergers and acquisitions from, Eventbrite‘s acquisition by tech group Bending Spoons, to the merger of UK agency OrangeDoor with US experience agency Unbridled. The acquisitions didn’t stop there, we then saw global exhibition and experiential agency 2Heads acquired by communications group Spiro, and production and corporate events agency FIRST being acquired by Encore.
Make no mistake, each of these December deals are reshaping the events and experiential agency landscape. Here is a deep dive at the key December M&A activity and what they really mean for the sector.
Havas strengthens experiential muscle with Bearded Kitten acquisition
Deal: Havas Play acquired UK-based experiential agency Bearded Kitten.
This move marks a strategic push by Havas to deepen its experiential marketing offering within the global Havas Media Network. Bearded Kitten is a multi award-winning agency known for immersive brand activations and end-to-end experience design that brings specialist capabilities in prop-making, theatrical production and immersive campaign delivery to the table.
Founded in 2007 and working with clients including Netflix, Unilever, Google and Disney, the 45-person team now sits alongside Havas Play’s broader experiential proposition within the UK and global market. The acquisition creates a nearly 200-strong experience division within Havas Play UK, underlining their premium position in the high-impact experiential brand market.
Why it matters?
This consolidation speaks to a broader trend within the market where holding groups are enhancing in-house creative and production expertise, especially in immersive and experiential marketing, to meet growing demand from brands seeking differentiated, culture-driven engagement.
Beyond the Headlines: December’s M&A Momentum
While not all deals in the events and agency space have been publicly disclosed or as widely reported, the broader market continues to be buoyant and reflects the momentum we have seen throughout 2025.
Globally M&A activity has rebounded strongly this year, with strategic deals forming a significant part of deal value growth across multiple sectors. Strategic buyers are increasingly using M&A to drive growth and pivot into new capabilities and markets.
Beyond the experiential and events world, large holding companies and networks like Havas are also active in other markets and sectors. Recent acquisitions in media and data assets with the purchase of Australian based independent media group, Kaimera indicates an appetite within the market to explore diversification strategies that straddle traditional creative, tech and data services.
Thought 2026 Outlook For Agencies and Brands
For agencies December’s deals underscore that scale remains a strong differentiator, particularly where strategic offerings or specialist skills such as experiential production can be brought under a unified network. Independent agencies with strong niches and demonstrable capability will continue to attract buyer interest.
For clients and brands consolidation will continue to amplify the value proposition for end-to-end partners looking to combine media, creative, tech and live experiences. Buyers are increasingly seeking seamless delivery models that reduce friction between strategy, creativity and execution.
For the market as a whole, corporate confidence and strategic M&A intent remain healthy, reflecting a positive outlook for robust dealmaking across varying sectors. Agencies should sharpen their value narratives and consider how scale, specialisation or integration into broader networks might shape their next phase of growth.
Final Thought
December’s activity was anchored by the high-profile Havas-Bearded Kitten deal which reinforces that 2025 is closing with a strong statement on industry consolidation and capability expansion. As we head into 2026, we expect buyers will continue to prioritise deals that incorporate differentiated talent, technology, and immersive experiences.