Irish digital agency Granite targets $40m in annual revenues by 2027 as it deepens presence in US and Canada.
Granite Digital, the Cork‑born digital agency, has agreed to acquire Creative Media, a performance marketing specialist founded in Northern Ireland, in a deal that strengthens its position in the North American market and accelerates its international expansion plans.
The company said the acquisition gives it a platform to reach revenues of $40m by 2027, with half of that generated in the US and Canada.
“Every dollar spent on marketing has to deliver a measurable return. That is exactly how Granite operates, but at enterprise scale and with technical depth I have not seen in an independent agency”
The move follows a period of fast growth in the region, including a fourfold increase in organic North American revenue in the past year. It is also backed by $10m in growth capital from BGF, the UK and Ireland investment group.
This is Granite’s latest foray into strengthening its grip on the US market. In 2023 it acquired a majority stake in the digital division of New York creative agency LCM247.
Coming to America
Creative Media, which has operated for 25 years and employs more than 40 people, has built a substantial client base across North America. Its founder, Marcus Isherwood, will take up the role of chief revenue officer at Granite, working alongside Rob Carpenter, the agency’s US‑based chief commercial officer.
Isherwood said the partnership was the result of “a simple philosophy” that has guided Creative Media. “Every dollar spent on marketing has to deliver a measurable return,” he said. “That is exactly how Granite operates, but at enterprise scale and with technical depth I have not seen in an independent agency. Joining forces with this team gives our clients something genuinely new in the market.”
The combined business will have more than 200 staff working across strategy, engineering, design, data and marketing. Granite maintains an operating model in which senior specialists spend most of their time on client delivery rather than pitching.
The company said this approach has helped it achieve a Net Promoter Score of 71, well above the industry average, and an average client relationship of nine years. Around 87% of its work comes from repeat business or referrals.
Granite’s client list includes Intel, Pepsi, Sysco, Iron Mountain, Concentrix, Aer Lingus, Tesco and Dalata Hotel Group. The company was shortlisted for Best Large Agency of the Year at the 2025 US Agency Awards. The Creative Media deal is its ninth acquisition since 2020 and its most significant step into the North American market to date.
Carpenter said US businesses were increasingly seeking alternatives to traditional agency groups.
“Enterprise clients are tired of paying holding company rates for junior teams, fragmented delivery and dashboards nobody reads,” he said. “We are building something that does not exist yet in this market: an independent agency with genuine enterprise capability, senior talent on every account and full accountability for outcomes. The agreed acquisition of Creative Media, the leadership appointments and Joy joining our board are not incremental moves.”
Granite recently appointed Joy Marcus, a veteran of Condé Nast, Time Warner and MTV Networks, as non‑executive chair. The company said her background in digital media, technology and venture capital would support its expansion into the US.
Conor Buckley, Granite’s chief executive and an EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 finalist, said the North American market remained central to the company’s strategy.
“The Creative Media agreed acquisition, Marcus’s appointment and the team we are building in the US are all part of a deliberate plan to bring Granite’s model to the world’s largest digital market,” he said. “We have proven this works in Europe and the Middle East, and we are actively pursuing further acquisitions in North America to deepen our capabilities and accelerate our growth.”
Top image: Marcus Isherwood, CEO, Creative Media; Conor Buckley, CEO, Granite; Rob Carpenter, Global Chief Commercial Officer, Granite; Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment; and Joy Marcus, Non-Executive Chair, Granite
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