MAD//Fest has been acquired by Ingenuity Group for an undisclosed sum, in a move which will allow the marketing group to tap into a wider marketing ecosystem offered by the festival.

It comes after the group acquired Future Factory in 2023 and Reg & Co earlier this year.

This year’s sell-out festival saw Sir Martin Sorrell give a keynote speech ahead of the general election, while national treasure Eddie Izzard also spoke about the importance of purpose within marketing.

“Since MAD//Fest launched I’ve watched their journey and have been so impressed by what they have achieved,” said Ingenuity founder and CEO Chris Kemp.

“Dan and Ian have built an absolutely incredible business that, like Ingenuity, sits at the very heart of the marketing industry. The MAD//Fest team will play a key part in our mission to better connect the marketing world,” he continued.

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MAD//Fest co-founder Dan Brain said “We’ve had quite a few approaches over the years but Ingenuity’s drive to create something different really stood out. The hires, acquisitions and investments to date show how determined Ingenuity is to create something new that really meets the needs of the industry.”

“We look forward to collaborating with the company’s existing businesses to drive new products, services and growth opportunities for all our clients.”

MAD//Fest co-founder and commercial lead Ian Houghton said they had been excited by the move since they met Chris and his team.

“As a group, we already have incredible products, communities and people – and it was easy to see how we could be an integral part of the group’s strategy,” he said.

“We can’t wait to get cracking and explore the opportunities for both brands and agencies that exist across the businesses within the group.”