One of the first entrants into the mobile payments space back in 2007, Toronto-based Plastic Mobile announced on Feb. 19 on its website that it was being acquired by Havas Media, the sixth largest communications group in the world.
Havas will integrate Plastic into its Havas Village offerings, which are part of the French company’s Canadian operations as it restructures to compete more effectively in the North American market as well as expanding its digital and mobile partnerships within a tough-to-please Canadian mobile market, according to a Havas press release from the same day.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Plastic Mobile to the Havas Group,” said Yannick Bolloré, chairman and CEO of Havas Group. “With proven results and savvy business strategies that propel top-tier brands into the fast-paced mobile revolution, this acquisition will strengthen our digital potency and capabilities.”
Plastic was founded back in 2007, right around the beginning of the smartphone age. Its goal was to become a mobile marketing agency that could provide customized mobile solutions for businesses looking to expand their mobile presence, according to Plastic’s company description. Notable partners for the company include TD Bank, Rogers, CBC, and BlackRock, as well as Pizza Pizza, with whom Plastic helped create Canada’s first pizza ordering app.
With the merger, driven by the need for a strategic partner to be more competitive in offering large-scale Requests for Business (RFBs) on a global scale, Plastic Mobile will continue to be made available within Havas’ North American footprint as well as system integration with Havas’ Canadian operations.
“We had a skill and expertise that is unique in the digital space and they offered the global scale that would allow us to take Plastic to the next step,” Plastic CEO Sep Seyedi and COO Melody Adhami wrote in the company’s statement.
“Today we are ecstatic about the potential that this venture offers Plastic and the challenges that lay ahead of us,” the statement said.
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