Little Dot Studios Nabs Wing in First Major Acquisition
By Ed Meza
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – All3Media-owned Little Dot Studios has acquired London-based production company Wing.
The move marks Little Dot’s first acquisition as part of its planned growth strategy. The digital content creator and distributor, which has offices in London, Munich, Berlin and Los Angeles, is aiming to expand operations both organically and through further acquisitions.
Little Dot said its sports business had increased rapidly over the last three years across production, distribution, monetization, media and insight activities for its high-profile clients, among them Red Bull, Eurosport, Formula E, the Football Assn., the England and Wales Cricket Board, and the International Cricket Council.
The Wing deal will provide the company “with an enhanced sports production and creative capability” to meet growing global demand at a time when many sports and consumer brands are looking to increase engagement with younger skewing audiences, it added.
Established in 2007, Wing creates content for some of the world’s top brands and sports governing bodies, including the International Olympics Committee, the America’s Cup, Formula 1, Coca-Cola, Hugo Boss, McLaren, Vodafone and Land Rover. Run by sports creatives and husband and wife team Will and Tessa Ingham, the company has won multiple accolades, including several Sport Industry Awards and was named 2019’s Media Production Company of the Year at Campaign and PR Week’s Brand Film Awards.
“Sports is a key strategic focus for Little Dot Studios, which we see providing a market for significant growth,” said Little Dot co-founder and CEO Andy Taylor. “Tessa and Will are multi-award winning producers, with very strong industry credentials and a high reputation for delivering quality content for sports bodies and brands.”
The acquisition will enable Little Dot to accelerate future growth with existing clients across the two companies as well as bringing in new partners, Taylor added. “Wing’s creative excellence combined with Little Dot Studios’ understanding of data and platform algorithms will provide a truly unique service offering to the sport industry.”
In a joint statement, the Inghams said: “From the inception of Wing our whole ethos has always been twofold — great partnerships and creating disruptive content. This new era enhances both. Little Dot Studios are a next generation producer and broadcaster, and winner of the first-ever BAFTA for a YouTube specific commission. For us that says it all — about their vision, creativity, disruptive thinking and ambition. Teaming up with such a fast-growing and progressive studio makes our dual offering very exciting and really powerful in the world of insanely quick moving digital content.”
The companies did not disclose financial details of the deal.