US group to buy Davies Baron

US corporate branding group Diefenbach Elkins has agreed to buy Davies Baron for an undisclosed sum.

The move follows the acquisition of Diefenbach Elkins by the Interpublic Group of Companies earlier this year, when the US consultancy revealed ambitious expansion plans in London and Asia (DW 31 January).

“We are in the process of building a global network to help our clients use their brands to lead change,” says Diefenbach Elkins chairman and chief executive John Diefenbach.

The latest union creates a formidable competitor in the airline identity market. Between them the two consultancies have handled corporate revamps including Air New Zealand, South African Airways, SAS, Austrian Airlines in the last couple of years.

Davies Baron managing director David Davies says: “Being part of a global network fits with our ambition to be the best.”

Davies Baron will continue to trade under its existing name, operating as a speciality brand linked to and endorsed by “Diefenbach Elkins”, the worldwide master brand.