Superunion

In May 1976, graphic designers Terry Tyrrell and Sam Sampson formed Sampson Tyrrell. The catalyst for this was an opportunity given to them by an advertising agency to help with the corporate identity of British Gas. They worked for clients including Kodak, Lowrey, London Docklands Development Corporation and Legal & General.{{cite web |title=Tributes paid to Sam Sampson |url=https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/march-2010-online/tributes-paid-to-sam-sampson/ |publisher=Design Week |date=March 2, 2010}} The business grew slowly and by 1984 had grown to 10 employees working across a broad range of assignments, focusing mainly on graphic design projects. In 1984, Dave Allen joined and helped accelerate growth with assignments from Citizen, Mazda and Castrol. In 1986, Sampson Tyrrell was acquired by the WPP. This resulted in a period of rapid growth and by 1991 the company employed over 100 people in London.

In 1992, Brand Union and Robinson Lambie-Nairn partnered as a cross-platform entity that could allow areas of design beyond their branding and broadcast heritage to work together.{{Cite web |url=http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/27677628/Enterprises-move-to-revive-an-old-name-could-set-a-trend |title=Enterprise's move to revive an old name could set a trend. -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia |access-date=2010-08-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091107071944/http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/27677628/Enterprises-move-to-revive-an-old-name-could-set-a-trend |archive-date=2009-11-07 |url-status=dead }} Robinson Lambie-Nairn was first formed in 1976 by Colin Robinson and Martin Lambie-Nairn. During the same year, Sampson and Allen led the formation of Enterprise identity Group with Jim Johnson of Anspach Grossman Portugal, Flavio Gomez of Sidjakov Berman Gomez, and Miles Young of Ogilvy & Mather in Asia who owned a design network based in Hong Kong and Taiwan called Artistree. This was in response to the globalisation of international brands, particularly in Asia. The founding businesses were transitioned into a new brand, Enterprise IG, which was launched in 1996. Allen and Johnson became Joint CEOs of the newly formed business.{{cite web |title=Sampson Tyrrell Enterprise |url=https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/26-march-1998/sampson-tyrrell-enterprise/ |publisher=Design Week |date=March 27, 1998}}

The business grew organically and by acquisition. This began in 1999 when it became the holding company for Lambie-Nairn & Company.{{cite web |url=http://www.ukbusinesspark.co.uk/wppaaaaa.htm |title=WPP |accessdate=2010-08-17 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101208085208/http://www.ukbusinesspark.co.uk/wppaaaaa.htm |archivedate=2010-12-08 }} It acquired Horniak and Canny in Australia,{{cite web |last1=Collins |first1=Luke |title=Partnership set to give Enterprise IG the lead |url=https://www.afr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/partnership-set-to-give-enterprise-ig-the-lead-20000314-k9b6u |publisher=Australian Financial Review |date=March 14, 2000}} Springham Anderson in Singapore,{{cite web |title=WPP Units' Deal Will Expand Consulting on Brands in Asia |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB952971521641264419 |publisher=Wall Street Journal |date=March 14, 2000}} Brindfors Design in Stockholm, Winderlich design in Hamburg and in 2001 Brown KSDP (part of the Tempus acquisition made by WPP) decided to join Enterprise IG - adding offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Amsterdam and Paris. This took Enterprise IG to over $100m revenue, 19 offices, and over 700 employees. That year Enterprise IG topped the Design Week 100 league table.{{cite web |title=Design boosts WPP profit margin |url=https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/24-february-2000/design-boosts-wpp-profit-margin/ |publisher=Design Week |date=February 25, 2000}} In July 2001, Enterprise IG acquired The Identity Business, Ireland's leading brand and identity consultancy.{{Cite web |url=http://www.wpp.com/WPP/Investor/FinancialNews/Default.htm?guid=%7BD28C7782-951D-4B11-AF19-48C0AE73D123%7D |title=Enterprise IG acquires The Identity Business |access-date=2019-06-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217005917/http://www.wpp.com/WPP/Investor/FinancialNews/Default.htm?guid=%7BD28C7782-951D-4B11-AF19-48C0AE73D123%7D |archive-date=2012-02-17 |url-status=dead }} The Enterprise IG global network expanded with 21 regional offices in 18 markets and formally became known as Brand Union in October 2007.[http://www.logolounge.com/identitynews/ LogoLounge - ENTERPRISE IG IS NOW THE BRAND UNION] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629212858/http://www.logolounge.com/identitynews/ |date=June 29, 2009 }} In 2008, co-founder Martin Lambie-Nairn left Lambie-Nairn & Company.{{cite web|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/lambie-nairn-unveils-creative-britain-conference-design/856529|title=Lambie-Nairn unveils Creative Britain conference design|website=www.campaignlive.co.uk}}

In 2018, Brand Union, The Partners, Lambie-Nairn, Addison, and VBAT merged to create the agency, Superunion. In 2022, WPP announced to merge Superunion with Design Bridge to create Design Bridge and Partners.{{cite web|url =https://adage.com/article/agency-news/wpp-merges-design-bridge-and-superunion/2422711|title=WPP mergers design shops into Design Bridge and Partners|website=www.adage.com|date=7 July 2022 }} It officially merged in April 2023.

Superunion has 16 offices around the world:{{cite web |title=Offices of Superunion |url=https://www.superunion.com |publisher=Superunion}}

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• Amsterdam
• Bangkok
• Beijing
• Berlin
• Hong Kong
• Jakarta
• Johannesburg
• London

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• Los Angeles
• Madrid
• Munich
• New York
• São Paulo
• Shanghai
• Shenzhen
• Singapore

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{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.superunion.com Company website]

{{WPP}}

Category:Branding companies of the United Kingdom

Category:Defunct companies based in London

Category:Design companies established in 1941

Category:1941 establishments in England