DXG Group acquires Leeds creative agency Born Ugly and moves it to Manchester

Leeds creative agency Born Ugly is now part of DXG Group, the London-headquartered agency consultancy and transformation business.

DXG Group has a history of buying and restructuring agencies and returning them to profit, working to the mantra “Same teams. Same clients. Different foundations.”

Announcing the deal on LinkedIn, DXG Group said: “We’re excited to announce that the Born Ugly brand is now part of the DXG Group.

“Born Ugly is a name synonymous with solving business growth problems through brand and creativity, bringing deep expertise across strategy, brand design, verbal identity, brand activation, campaign creation, film and animation.

“With a clear belief that good things start ugly, their approach represents exactly the kind of specialist capability we value within the DXG ecosystem: distinctive, commercially grounded, creatively brave and built around real business challenges.

“As we build out the Born Ugly offering under DXG, we are combining their brand and creative expertise with our group’s infrastructure, global reach and transformation model – creating something genuinely exciting for the future of brand, creative and growth.

“Welcome to DXG, Born Ugly.”

Tim Witcherley, chief executive of DXG Group, said joining the group would give Born Ugly more scale and the ability to work internationally and across multiple markets. He added that the agency will be based at DXG’s Manchester hub from now on, while keeping a presence in Leeds.

“We’re delighted to welcome the Born Ugly brand into DXG Group,” Witcherley said.

“Born Ugly has a brilliant creative philosophy, that every great idea starts out ugly, and it’s exactly the kind of bold, brave thinking we want at the heart of the group.

“DXG brings together boutique specialists from across the agency landscape: strategists, creatives, psychologists, technologists and project leaders with deep experience across multiple markets and sectors. Born Ugly now has that strength behind it.

“For brands working with Born Ugly, that means greater scale and depth, with broader strategic, creative and delivery expertise available when needed, and a stronger ability to support international and multi-market projects.

“Born Ugly will operate from DXG’s Manchester base alongside Human Magic, while keeping a presence in Leeds.”

Carlsberg, LHV Bank and the World Curry Festival are among Born Ugly’s recent clients.