Globally Acclaimed Experiential Agency for 2024 Delivers Large-Scale Experiences with a Focus on Small-Scale Approaches
Rewritten Article:
Acquisition ain't always the final chapter for a business. Take the case of Sparks, a kick-ass experiential marketing agency based in Philadelphia. In August 2023, they got scooped up by Freeman, a multinational events company. But rather than marking the end of the road for Sparks, this deal was just the beginning of a new journey.
Sparks was already kicking butt before the acquisition, serving heavy-hitters like Amazon, Anheuser-Busch, Delta Air Lines, Google, Meta, Pfizer, and Salesforce. With a portfolio of 4,000 projects yearly for 400 clients, spread out across 60 countries, Sparks had carved out a sweet spot for itself. After the deal, they became a significant asset under Freeman's wing.
"So, when we combined forces, the first thing we looked at was, where did we overlap?" said Kristy Elisano, Sparks' head of marketing.
Initially, Sparks kept its identity as a go-to brand experience agency, specializing in exhibits and brand activations, even after being bought by Freeman. The details of their post-acquisition operations, though, are pretty scarce in public records. One thing's for sure, Freeman's purchase gave Sparks a stronger foothold in the corporate events sector.
Fast forward to 2025, Freeman collaborated with its AV team and Sparks on large-scale projects like CES 2025, demonstrating the integration of Sparks' expertise within Freeman's broader experiential marketing capabilities. The acquisition by Freeman falls in line with the broader industry trend toward consolidation, as highlighted in 2025 event industry analyses.
- In 2023, the acquisition of Sparks, a successful experiential marketing agency based in Philadelphia, by Freeman, a multinational events company, sparked a new journey for them, rather than marking the end of their independent operations.
- Sparks, known for its collaborations with big-name clients like Amazon and Salesforce, had already completed over 4,000 projects annually for 400 clients across 60 countries, making them an attractive asset for Freeman to acquire.
- Upon the acquisition, the first area of focus for Sparks and Freeman was identifying any overlaps in their operations, as mentioned by Kristy Elisano, Sparks' head of marketing.
- Fast forward to 2025, the integration of Sparks' expertise in brand activations and exhibits within Freeman's broader experiential marketing capabilities was evident in their collaborative efforts on large-scale projects like CES 2025, reflecting the industry trend towards consolidation.
