Dayton Ohio based ChangeUp Inc. has acquired Cincinnati based Interbrand Retail and its affiliate Design Forum Architects from Interbrand, the global branding agency and part of Omnicom Group (OMC).

The new combined agency will maintain the name ChangeUp and have revenue placing it in the top 20 largest retail design firms internationally.

DAYTON, Ohio, January 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ ChangeUp Inc. the Dayton, Ohio based retail design consultancy has acquired the Cincinnati based retail design and architectural practice, known as Interbrand Retail, from Interbrand, the world’s largest branding agency and part of Omnicom Group (OMC).  As of January 1st, 2019, talent and assets of both companies combined and operate under the name ChangeUp.

ChangeUp, founded by Lee Carpenter, former North American CEO of Interbrand, has had phenomenal growth since its beginnings in 2014. ChangeUp is headquartered in Dayton, and has offices in Irvine, California and Detroit, Michigan. Clients include Cadillac, Mazda, Crayola, Dawn Foods, and Discount Tire. Lee Carpenter will be CEO of the new combined organization.

Interbrand Retail, and its affiliate Design Forum Architects, was initially acquired by Interbrand from Lee Carpenter in 2002 (then known as Design Forum) and is renowned in the industry for outstanding creativity, client retention, and effective and efficient architectural services. Interbrand Retail’s clients include Best Buy, T-Mobile, Stop & Shop, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Macy’s. Current client strategy, creative, and architectural services teams will remain unchanged in the new organization.

“We know the skills and talents of Interbrand Retail very well and expect a seamless integration with ChangeUp as we share the same passion and vision for an exciting new era of retail,” explains Lee Carpenter. “The leaders on both of our teams know and respect each other and are looking forward to creating the best retail design consultancy for our current and future clients.”

The new combined agency will build upon the strong foundation of strategy-led retail experience innovation and brand-building, which are both organizations’ core strengths. “ChangeUp’s acquisition of Interbrand Retail promises to be a benefit for both our people and our clients,” states Lynn Gonsior, who will be the new COO. “We will invest in the resources we need to be informed and inspired, stay ahead of the technology curve, and be able to move more swiftly to meet our clients’ increasing demands for business-building creativity.”

The new combined business will place ChangeUp solidly in the top 20 of VMSD magazine’s annual Top Retail Design Firms list.

About ChangeUp:

ChangeUp is an agile group of strategists and designers who have a passion for all things retail. We have worked with a wide variety of clients across variety of sectors, including start-up brands and Fortune 100 companies. As a multi-disciplined firm, with offices in Dayton, Detroit, and Los Angeles, ChangeUp brings a fresh perspective to businesses – we understand how to stand out, how to win and how to stay relevant in today’s market.

For more information please contact:
Lynn Gonsior
Partner/COO
ChangeUp
(844) 804-7700
lynn.gonsior@changeupinc.com