Launching NoA Ignite - your powerhouse for leading digital growth

February 18th, 2021

Four pioneering European digital design agencies unite to form NoA Ignite a powerhouse for leading digital growth

Part of NoA the Nordic region’s leading network of Advertising, Creative, Design and Tech agencies, these companies combine to ignite the delivery of superior digital products and services with a lasting impact for global brands.

NoA - the Nordic region’s leading family of Advertising, Creative, and Tech agencies - today announces the launch of NoA Ignite. Through the convergence of digital design agencies Making Waves Norway, Making Waves Sweden, Making Waves Poland, and Hello Great Works in Copenhagen, NoA Ignite becomes a go-to digital powerhouse for global brands in need of developing transformative digital products or services which deliver real value to consumer’s lives. This move, along with the recent acquisition of Swedish e-commerce agency Oakwood in January 2021, further marks the strengthening of NoA’s expertise in data-driven sales and marketing (which contributed to a 75% increased revenue growth in this segment in 2020) and will also help power the network’s wider international growth strategy for 2021.

People embrace brands that deliver unique, engaging and memorable digital products and services that improve their life. Through its holistic approach and multidisciplinary collaboration between each sister company, NoA Ignite will lead brands through their entire digital growth journey. Combining the deep technical knowledge of each agency together with the needs of the brand, consumer insights, creative excellence, data and technology, NoA Ignite aims to become a true thought leader within the space and, ultimately, the partner of choice for brands all over the world looking to solve some of the most complex challenges in today’s digital world. The group’s main focus will be on driving sustainable growth for its clients through e-commerce, digital service platforms, engagement and optimisation, and business innovation. Early clients include Co-op, Electrolux, Telenor, and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS).

Mikael Jørgensen, CEO of the NoA group, comments “2020 saw consumer behaviour online fast-forward 5 years into the future out of necessity, with the emergence of live shopping experiences enhanced by virtual reality tech, AI-driven personalisation, and the continual rise and enhancement of social commerce. In a world where changes in climate, society and business are near-constant, data and technology-driven services and products are becoming increasingly important for companies of all shapes and sizes, and businesses will not get an opportunity like this again to perfect the digital experience. The need to get this right now, and do so at the speed of the consumer, will be the difference between a brand’s long term survival or its ultimate demise, but there is not just a one-size-fits-all solution.

“We pride ourselves on our ability to lead some of the world’s largest brands through one of the most complex challenges they will face today. The talents of our family are truly top class and through the gathering together of our collective expertise under one roof to form NoA Ignite, we now lift our competencies to a new level in order to help our clients weather the storm, initially, and, ultimately, achieve long-lasting digital growth.”

A Scandinavian company culture of shared ownership, gender equality, and diversity

Founded on Nordic values of creativity, freedom and collaboration, the NoA-component agencies share a track record for the delivery of award-winning campaigns with a clear focus on people. This Scandinavian mindset applies not only to the work produced, but, uniquely for a network of this nature, to the company structure. NoA Ignite will employee over 350 people (out of a total of 800 employees across the entirety of NoA) with offices in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo, and Krakow. It will also be looking to attract talent that understands this holistic approach, has a depth of related skills and expertise in a single field, and the ability to collaborate across disciplines with experts in other areas and apply their own knowledge to this - the so-called T-shaped person. Around 140 employees across the network are active partners. To further foster this, NoA has established an employee investment program (EIP) and appoints new partners each year.

In 2020, Making Waves Norway (now a division of NoA Ignite) was recognised as the highest scoring company on the SHE Index which, powered by EY, reflects the true status of gender equality in major Norwegian organisations. Women currently make up around 24% of NoA’s partners and it is determined to continue increasing diversity across the network, particularly given the majority of its agencies are founded by men. A truly international community of creatives, NoA also boasts a workforce hailing from over 30 different nationalities describing the company culture using two words “Creative Diversity”. For NoA creative difference isn’t a problem, rather it’s the solution.

Maintaining momentum and drive further international growth across the NoA network

Just last month, following a challenging - yet ultimately successful - 2020, in which the network enjoyed a net revenue of $111 million (matching 2019 figures), with strong underlying profitability across all markets, NoA made some significant changes to its senior team. Motivated by a desire to maintain momentum and drive further international growth, founder, Thomas Høgebøl, was elevated from CEO to the position of Executive Chairman, where he will oversee international acquisitions and expansion in 2021. Meanwhile, Mikael Jørgensen, previously the NoA Country Manager for Denmark and CEO of creative advertising agency and NoA component company, &Co, was announced as the new NoA CEO.

About NoA

Designed to meet the holistic needs of modern brands (and CMOs), NoA (The North Alliance) has reinvented the way creative services are procured by forming a comprehensive network of design, communication and tech/data-agencies. Since inception in 2014, the NoA family has grown to include leading agencies in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Poland, more than doubling its annual net revenue (from $49.6 million to $104.9 million); with a double-digit compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16%.

NoA has supported global brands including Adidas, Audi, Facebook, Google, IBM and Nike, as well as those with Scandinavian origins such as Absolut, IKEA and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), helping them deliver growth through customer orientation on both regional and international level.

Visit the NoA Ignite website here.