Major printing franchise Worldwide Online Printing has diversified its operations by acquiring professional writing firm Wordplay Media for an undisclosed sum.
Major printing franchise Worldwide Online Printing has diversified its operations by acquiring professional writing firm Wordplay Media for an undisclosed sum.
Major printing franchise Worldwide Online Printing has diversified its operations by acquiring professional writing firm Wordplay Media for an undisclosed sum.
Perth-based Wordplay was created by British crime journalist Paul Sowerby, who came to Australia almost two years ago to plug a gap in the communications sector for professional copywriting and editing services.
Since then, his team of six have written over a million words for clients ranging from BankWest and the RAC, to Alinta and GESB (the Government Employees Superannuation Board). Assignments have ranged from optimised web copy to radio scripts, slogans, interactive games, email text and operations manuals.
Worldwide had been a client for six months prior to the acquisition.
Being part of Australia's fastest-growing print group means Worldplay's writers can offer their services to Worldwide's 15,000 customers.
For Worldwide, which is also based in WA, the strategic acquisition means its 82 Centre owners across the country can add words to their core design and print proposition.
"We've had an amazing couple of years, but growing a small business from a WA base is challenging," said Sowerby.
"In Worldwide we have a conduit through which to extend the reach of our services into the media heartlands over East, and offer their print Centres a logical product extension and lucrative new revenue stream."
Worldwide CEO Mark Manderson said the acquisition made a lot of sense at a time when Worldwide was looking for innovative new ways to expand its network and add new print-related activities and disciplines.
"As a major Wordplay client we've had a chance to see for ourselves just how important the written word is to our print clients," he said.
"It's one of the pivotal elements of the communication mix and it seemed very sensible to formalise the working arrangements so that we can move forward with our rapid growth plans."