New York-based brand strategy firm, Folk Hero that works with fashion
and lifestyle groups such as Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH) and the
Calzedonia Group, has been acquired by global live brand storytelling
agency, INVNT.
Folk Hero specialises in bringing story strategies to the executive
level, creating brand narratives to emphasise the brands’ operating and
organising principles. The firm helps its clients develop unusually
compelling brand narratives, architecture, identity and tone-of-voice, all
underpinned by a robust research methodology and deep understanding of
contemporary consumer behaviours.
By joining INVNT, the agency will be able to provide these brand
strategy services to both new and existing clients, as complementary to or
independent from the agency’s existing live brand storytelling offering,
and that of its fast-growing branded content studio, HEVĒ.
Rob Klingensmith, Folk Hero chief executive, will stay onboard to “lead
and grow” the firm as part of the INVNT and HEVĒ family and will work out
of INVNT’s New York headquarters, reporting to chief creative officer, Paul
Blurton.
Commenting on the acquisition, Klingensmith said in a statement: “A folk
hero is a story so good it has to be told—it’s a memorable, elemental
narrative that far from fleeting, lingers in a person’s memory long after
their first encounter, and demands to be shared. Developing these stories
is what drives me, and I am thrilled to be joining an agency that shares
this passion for brand storytelling in all forms.”
Blurton added: “Folk Hero is the ideal complement to the live and
digital brand storytelling capabilities provided by INVNT and HEVĒ.
“Working as we do across numerous industries and clients, it’s always so
refreshing to meet companies that have devoted time and effort to creating
their own master brand narrative. It becomes the wellspring for every other
creative expression of that brand. This is what Folk Hero does so
effectively, and it’s why this acquisition makes so much sense.”
Kristina McCoobery, chief operating officer at INVNT, said: “INVNT’s
acquisition of Folk Hero ladders up to our overarching vision to be the
best brand storytellers in the world. We recognise that to achieve our
vision, we must evolve our offering to meet our clients at whatever stage
of the storytelling cycle they need us.
“At a time when many of the old rules of marketing are changing, we
believe that the brands with the best stories, told well, will win. And
when our clients win, we win.”
