"Like an LBi or AKQA, Amaze has strength across the entire digital stack from marketing strategy through to solution design and implementation. This relatively unique combination of the creative mind set of an agency coupled with robust technology implementation skills has enabled it to develop a strong position in global eCommerce and eCRM implementations and has helped drive recent impressive growth.
"Amaze is, in many respects, positioned more closely to the large strategy and business consulting firms such as IBM Interactive, Deloitte Digital and Accenture than a traditional digital agency.
"Following the high profile LBi and AKQA deals of 2012, there is a shrinking pool of sizeable independent digital agencies. This transaction demonstrates that there is still considerable appetite for such agencies, particularly those with international reach, and strong capabilities in eCommerce, eCRM, mobile, social media and technology.
"For St Ives the acquisition of a sizeable digital asset of this calibre is a vital building block in its strategy to develop its integrated marketing services offering."
Fran Cavanagh on 14 Feb 13The IBM Institute for Business Value's report, The Business of Social Business, is full of research and survey data that can help in understanding how organizations are "seeing the value of applying social approaches, internally as well as externally.
