Talon Acquires One of Ireland’s Leading Out of Home Specialists

Talon Outdoor, the UK’s leading independent Out of Home (OOH) media specialist, has further strengthened its international operations and capabilities with the acquisition of Poster Plan Limited (previously trading as Kinetic Ireland), one of Ireland’s leading OOH specialists.

This strategic acquisition continues to build Talon’s global reach, extending its leading-edge automation, data, resources and culture into new markets. As UK market leader, Talon has brought growth to OOH through its digital engagement, smart planning and proprietary technology that embraces a wider integration of data and behavioural planning capability. Talon has won numerous awards for its creativity, planning and people values, whilst bringing its expertise and technology to global markets, including the US and Germany.

Poster Plan was established in 1990 by co-founders Simon Durham and Carol Hogan and operates offices in both Dublin and Belfast.  The business delivers full OOH planning and buying capabilities, focusing on dynamic and data-led solutions for a wide range of agencies and clients.

The acquisition of Poster Plan follows the recent appointment of Andrew Sinclair as Managing Director. Andrew will lead the business with Aoife Hudson, Deputy Managing Director. Both Simon Durham and Carol Hogan will remain with the business.

Talon’s Group CEO Barry Cupples says:

“Having worked closely with Poster Plan for a number of years to deliver OOH campaigns for Talon’s clients in Ireland, this strategic acquisition was a natural next step. We are excited about the prospects for supporting the continued opportunity to drive the renaissance of OOH, by adding Talon’s service and solutions culture to Poster Plan’s deep customer relationships and strong reputation. We are delighted to be partnering with Group M in a new long-term relationship to support their clients and teams in delivering better outcomes.”

Speaking about the transaction, Andrew Sinclair said:

“This acquisition by Talon is a ringing endorsement of the strength of Poster Plan’s offering in the Irish marketplace, which provides an exciting platform for future investment in our people, product offering and position within this market. We look forward to enhancing our offering to our clients with benefits of  Talon’s industry-leading products, tools and technology.”

Simon Durham, Co-Founder of Poster Plan said:

“Today marks an exciting new chapter in our OOH journey and we are delighted to have completed the sale of the business to the Talon Group. Having been Talon’s exclusive partner in Ireland for some time, we have first-hand experience of their dynamism, forward-thinking and overall ambitions for showcasing the power of OOH.

Arriving at this point wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support of WPP/GroupM and their clients, and I would like to personally thank them for all their support in making this deal possible. We look forward to continuing that close working relationship with all Group M agencies and their clients.”

Poster Plan will continue to be the exclusive provider of OOH planning and buying services to GroupM’s client base in Ireland. Bill Kinlay, CEO of GroupM Ireland commented:

“Talon entering the Irish market represents an important and progressive step as they bring their experience and expertise to bear here. GroupM is looking forward to continuing the excellent relationship that we have had with Poster Plan for over 20 years, and to building on this with Talon going forward.”