Vice Media has acquired Brooklyn experiential events company Villain in a bid to bolster its live offering to advertisers.
Villain whose industrial sized 15,000ft “raw” venue is based near Vice’s head offices in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg area employs 12 people and produces more than 300 events annually.
Villain works with clients both on and off its own site, having produced events with Dreamland Amusements, America’s oldest travelling amusement fair, at the New York Expo Center for Brunch Bounce, as well as a Brazilian tropical festival at their own Kent Avenue venue for Red Bull.
The company has also produced experiential events and festivals for advertisers including PepsiCo, Rockstar Games and Toyota.
Vice Media’s President of Digital Josh Cogswell announced the acquisition at its NewFronts presentation but didn’t reveal how much they paid for the company. Vice is hoping to increase revenues from producing more live events sponsored by brands and the Villain acquisition will allow it to expand into this arena with the help of a team with a proven track record.
“Demand for experiential offerings is very, very high, and we’re proud to have a reputation in the industry as a team that can activate unique and immersive expressions for brands interested in reaching young audiences,” Cogswell added.