999 Design swallows Blue Peach

Glasgow group 999 Design has acquired local competitor Blue Peach for an undisclosed sum, as it moves to strengthen its creative offer in the Scottish market.

The £3m turnover 999 Design, which currently generates almost 75 per cent of its business in England, hopes to double its Scottish business through the acquisition of the £1m turnover Blue Peach.

According to 999 Design director Richard Bissland, Blue Peach, under the direction of Joe Hall, has ‘a top notch creative team’ and ‘arts-based clients’ that meet the group’s requirements.

Hall will join as joint creative director, but Blue Peach design head Craig Mackinlay has left the group to start up on his own as Breeze Creative Design. A number of Blue Peach clients, including Morrison Bowmore Distillers, are likely to follow Mackinlay.

999 Design will absorb the remaining Blue Peach creative team, but administrative staff and account handlers will not make the move. Bissland says there will be no redundancies as staff affected have already resigned.

Meanwhile, 999 Design has created a campaign for the Department for Trade and Industry to promote its renewable energy plans across the UK.

The work aims to raise awareness of the need to adopt renewable energy sources, but also addresses public objections, says 999 Design director Teresa Monachino.