.monks

The company's head office is based in London, United Kingdom. Monks was founded in the Netherlands in January 2001 as MediaMonks by Wesley ter Haar, Erçin "Gin" Roberscheuten, and Terrence de Kat.

Victor Knaap joined the company in 2003 as "Sales Monk" and would manage it as CEO from 2004 until 2018, at first acquiring a 15% share in the company, but later an equal 25% to the other three owners.{{Cite web |url=https://mtsprout.nl/groei/zo-werd-mediamonks-groot |title=Zo werd MediaMonks groot |website=mtsprout.nl |first=Wietze Willem |last=Mulder |date=2018-07-10 |access-date=2024-08-24 |language=nl}}

Monks joined the Society of Digital Agencies (SoDA) in 2012, with Ter Haar serving as chairman of that collective today.{{Cite web |url=https://www.adformatie.nl/design/victor-knaap-mediamonks-je-hoeft-niet-op-het-podium-te-s |title=Victor Knaap (MediaMonks): "Je hoeft niet op het podium te staan om gekend te worden." |website=adformatie.nl |first=Richard |last=Otto |date=2014-04-30 |access-date=2024-08-24 |language=nl}} Monks won 23 Lions at Cannes, including one for the Universal Typeface Experiment in 2014.{{Cite web |url=https://www.thestable.com.au/mediamonks-stars-at-cannes/ |title=MediaMonks: Wow, look at them now. |website=thestable.com.au |date=2014-06-23 |access-date=2024-08-24}}

In July 2018, S4Capital plc purchased Monks for $350 million.{{cite web |url=https://adexchanger.com/agencies/wpp-vs-s4-sorrells-approach-to-building-an-empire-then-and-now/ |title=WPP vs. S4: Sorrell's Approach To Building An Empire, Then And Now |website=adexchanger.com |first=Alison |last=Weissbrot |date=12 September 2018 |access-date=5 December 2018}}

In August 2019, the former "Head Creative of Film", who quit and sold his shares in the company at the end of 2017 (more than 6 months before the acquisition by S4Capital), sued the company. He argued that had he known about the upcoming acquisition, he would not have decided to quit.{{Cite web |last=Koster |first=Mark |date=2019-08-27 |title=Nieuwsoverzicht: Ex-medewerker Media Monks eist geld na overname en hacker rooft rekeningen |url=https://www.quotenet.nl/nieuws/a28824357/nieuwsoverzicht-ex-medewerker-media-monks-eist-geld-na-overname-en-hacker-rooft-rekeningen/ |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=Quote Net |language=nl-NL}} The lawsuit was settled in December 2019.{{Cite web |url=https://www.emerce.nl/nieuws/schikking-tussen-mediamonks-oudaandeelhouder-rogier-schalken |title=Schikking tussen MediaMonks en oud-aandeelhouder Rogier Schalken |website=emerce.nl |date=2019-12-11 |access-date=2024-08-24 |language=nl}}

In 2018, S4 Capital acquired data and digital media firm, MightyHive for $150 million. Monks and MightyHive were later merged under the combined Media.Monks brand.{{cite news |url=https://adage.com/article/year-review/2021-review-top-agency-mergers/2384161 |title=Top agency mergers of 2021: Stagwell, S4Capital and MNTN were active on the M&A front |last=Wingate |first=Keira |work=Ad Age |volume=92 |issue=19 |page=11 |date=December 27, 2021 |access-date=2024-08-24 |url-access=subscription}}

In January 2021, S4Capital merged Decoded and Metric Theory into Monks. Jam3 joined Monks in March 2021, and, in August of the same year, all 24 S4Capital companies, plus culture agency Cashmere, became part of Monks. Further mergers include TheoremOne,{{Cite web |url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2022/05/17/s4-capital-confirms-theoremone-and-mediamonks-merger |title=S4 Capital confirms TheoremOne and Media.Monks merger |website=The Drum |first=John |last=Glenday |date=2022-05-17 |access-date=2023-02-06}} and XX Artists, both in 2022.{{Cite web |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/s4c-merges-monks-with-us-agency-5bhjg8xb2 |title=S4 Capital merges Media.Monks with XX Artists |website=The Times |first=Alex |last=Ralph |date=2022-07-02 |access-date=2023-02-06 |url-access=subscription}}

Monks was the fastest growing company in The Netherlands in 2021 and 2022.{{Cite news |title=Media.Monks scoort opnieuw titel van snelstgroeiende bedrijf: ’Lastigste jaar ooit’ |work=De Telegraaf |url=https://www.telegraaf.nl/financieel/659170168/media-monks-scoort-opnieuw-titel-van-snelstgroeiende-bedrijf-lastigste-jaar-ooit |first=Gabi |last=Ouwerkerk |url-access=subscription |date=2022-10-10 |access-date=2024-08-24 |language=nl}}

On July 18, 2024, Media.Monks was rebranded to Monks, with a focus on AI.{{Cite web |title=MediaMonks reorgs and rebrands to Monks, puts focus on AI-powered services |url=https://www.campaignlive.com/article/mediamonks-reorgs-rebrands-monks-puts-focus-ai-powered-services/1881217 |work=Campaign US |first=Brandon |last=Doerrer |date=2024-07-18 |access-date=2024-07-18 |language=en-US}} Campaign US noted this occurred in the midst of the introduction of new AI products, an earnings miss, and multiple acquisitions.

In January 2020, Monks was the first company to be awarded 200 Favourite Website Awards.{{Cite web |url=https://dutchcreativeindustry.com/news/mediamonks-first-company-to-win-200-fwas.html |title=MediaMonks first company to win 200 FWAs |work=Dutch Creative Industry |editor-first=Bob |editor-last=Koigi |date=2017-11-03 |access-date=2020-04-03 |language=en}}

Monks was awarded a 2022 Peabody Award in the Immersive & Interactive category for The Uncensored Library project.{{Cite web |url=https://rsf.org/en/rsf-win-its-first-peabody-award |title=RSF win its first Peabody Award |website=Reporters Without Borders |last= |first= |date=2023-05-11 |access-date=2024-08-24 |language=en}} The project's profile page describes the library as "a monument to press freedom and an innovative back door for access to censored content."{{Cite web |url=https://peabodyawards.com/award-profile/the-uncensored-library/ |title=The Uncensored Library |website=The Peabody Awards |year=2022 |access-date=2023-09-14 |language=en-US}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{Official website|http://www.monks.com/}}

Category:International information technology consulting firms

Category:International management consulting firms

Category:Mass media companies of the Netherlands

Category:Advertising agencies of the Netherlands

Category:Digital marketing companies

Category:Film production companies of the Netherlands

Category:2001 establishments in the Netherlands

Category:B Lab-certified corporations