Cheil Worldwide acquires U.S. agency McKinney, world’s most effective independent ad agency

Cheil Worldwide has acquired Durham, N.C.-based ad agency, McKinney, effective immediately. McKinney, recently named the most effective independent advertising agency in the world by Effie Worldwide, will play a central role in the reinvention of Cheil’s network in the Americas and beyond.

“Cheil Worldwide is becoming a global integrated marketing communications network made up of the best local ad agencies in the world,” said Cheil Worldwide CEO Nack-Hoi Kim. “We are thrilled to partner with McKinney, one of the world’s most creative and effective integrated ad agencies, to offer a significantly strengthened network of services to existing clients and to win new clients in the world’s largest ad market. With a shared passion for integrated ideas that move the needle for clients’ business, I’m confident McKinney will drive Cheil’s success worldwide.”

Led by CEO Brad Brinegar, McKinney (pictured) will maintain its name, its leadership team and headquarters in Durham, N.C., in a space designed to bring people together to inspire big ideas that now have global reach.

“After four years of charting our own course and producing unprecedented results for our clients, we couldn’t pass up this golden opportunity to be better, bigger, faster,” said Brinegar. “Cheil’s enthusiasm for McKinney’s independent spirit and the opportunity to help write the future of the global network sealed the deal. Though we’re from different parts of the world, we share the language of success — ‘tuhon,’ the relentless drive to achieve extraordinary results despite all obstacles.”

McKinney becomes part of Cheil Americas, a regional network of agency partners led by CEO Buz Sawyer. McKinney will join Cheil USA, Cheil Canada, Cheil Mexico, Cheil Central America, Cheil Brazil and The Barbarian Group to help brands add value to people’s lives with ideas that move seamlessly across channels.

“This isn’t just another financial transaction in a summer of consolidation, though Cheil will provide McKinney with rocket fuel to take their business to the next level,” said Sawyer. “I’ve found a soul mate in Brad Brinegar, and McKinney is the ideal strategic partner to reinvent Cheil’s network in the Americas and beyond. Together, we will take a fresh approach to growing an agency network, with an ‘open-source’ model based on partnership, collaboration and a shared vision for growth.”