Media agency Brainlabs has acquired influencer marketing agency Fanbytes, which is also based in London.
With expertise in platforms including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat, Fanbytes’ campaigns are powered by its proprietary data tool Bytesights. Its client list includes Samsung, H&M, Estee Lauder, Mattel, Ubisoft and Nike.
The 60-strong Fanbytes team is led by CEO Timothy Armoo, who started the company in 2017 whilst at university and was named last year in Forbes’ 30 under 30 Europe list.
Under the guidance of Armoo and co-founders Ambrose Cooke and Mitchell Fasanya, the company has expanded to offer their services to over 500 brands across the globe and grown 130% YoY for the last five years.
Bytesights has an extensive dataset of over three million influencers directly connected to TikTok and Instagram, enabling brands to monitor growth, predict trends, identify the best influencers, and pinpoint conversations around their products, competitors and sectors.
Fanbytes has influence in the US, LATAM and APAC regions, where Brainlabs already has offices.
In 2020, it launched the Fanbytes Impact Fund, a £250,000 fund dedicated to addressing the pay gap between black and non-black influencers and to provide funding and agency expertise to black-owned businesses. In its first year, the fund supported 14 black-owned businesses and 85+ black creators.
“I’m super excited about welcoming Fanbytes to Brainlabs, not only because I’m in awe at what they’ve achieved in such a short space of time but I also see them as an essential piece of the jigsaw in our digital media offering,” said Brainlabs Global CEO Daniel Gilbert.
“Influencer marketing has rapidly become an integral part of the digital media mix so to be able to offer it alongside our other capabilities under one roof is a huge advantage to our clients.
“Plus, we get to work with the entrepreneurial trio of Timo, Ambrose and Mitchell who have built an amazingly smart and successful business.”
Armoo said: “From day one, Fanbytes has been about more than just an ambition to fundamentally change how brands can speak to consumers (and vice versa); but always being one calculated step ahead in how we achieve that.
“From being first advocates of Snap and TikTok before the industry took either seriously, to literally inventing new ways for brands to use those channels, we’ve always carved our own path, and helped our clients carve theirs, and we’re excited to continue this with Brainlabs.
“Through Brainlabs’ global network we can supercharge what we do, bringing our technology, expertise and talent to an even bigger audience. We’ve also found a kindred spirit that shares similar ambitions.”