Bearded Kitten will now operate as Bearded Kitten, Part of Havas Play.

Havas has acquired UK experiential agency Bearded Kitten and integrated it into Havas Play UK, part of Havas Media Network UK. Following the deal, the agency will operate under the new name Bearded Kitten, part of Havas Play.

Founded in 2007, Bearded Kitten specialises in immersive brand activations and experience-led campaigns. Its client roster spans Netflix, Unilever, Intuit, L’Oréal, Twitch and Beavertown, and overlaps with existing Havas Media Network UK clients such as Red Bull, Pokémon, Google and Disney. The agency’s 45-member team brings deep capabilities in experience design, prop-making, theatrical production and end-to-end experiential execution.

The acquisition strengthens Havas Play’s ambition to scale its brand experience offering, creating a combined UK team of nearly 200 specialists. Bearded Kitten will continue operating from its current headquarters. Founder Barney Sutton will join the Havas Play UK leadership team and report directly to Nick Wright, CEO of Havas Play UK.

Yannick Bolloré, chairman and CEO of Havas, said the agency’s global reputation and creative craft align perfectly with Havas’ goal of capturing the growing demand for experiential marketing. Patrick Affleck, CEO of Havas Media Network UK & Ireland, added that Bearded Kitten sets the benchmark for modern experiential work and will elevate the network’s ability to deliver standout campaigns.

Nick Wright noted that experiential has always been central to Havas Play’s offering, and the addition of Bearded Kitten will accelerate scale and quality. Sutton said the cultural alignment with Havas was evident from early conversations, adding that the agency retains its identity while gaining the scale and resources needed for its next phase.