NEW YORK, USA – Global creative innovation company R/GA has announced the acquisition of Addition, a cutting edge AI System Design and Development studio, marking a transformative moment in the agency’s evolution and its first ever acquisition since transitioning to independent ownership.
This strategic move signals R/GA’s accelerated investment in AI-enabled creative services and underscores its ambition to lead the next era of brand experiences shaped by artificial intelligence. The acquisition was made possible through R/GA’s Innovation Fund, an initiative designed to fuel growth through investments in new talent, product development, partnerships, and strategic acquisitions.
Founded in 2021 by Paul Aaron and Rick Barber, Addition has quickly established itself as a leader in AI system design, developing solutions for an impressive roster of global brands including Google, NBCUniversal, Unilever, Amazon, Prudential and The New York Times. The studio integrates expertise from Silicon Valley, leading AI research institutions and top creative agencies, delivering bespoke tools and systems at the frontier of generative AI, design and engineering.
“Since becoming independent, we’ve been rapidly writing R/GA’s new story and setting a new industry tone, fueled by our independent flexibility, our global reach, and Truelink Capital’s investment,” said Robin Forbes, Global CEO of R/GA. “This move represents a significant and tangible investment in the new kinds of talent and AI-enabled capabilities that we believe will shape the next generation of creative experiences for clients. We are delighted to welcome the Addition team into our business, as R/GA’s first ever acquisition.”
“Joining R/GA represents an opportunity for us to embed our approach to AI within a truly global and innovative company,” said Paul Aaron, Co-Founder and CEO of Addition. “R/GA’s creative culture, history of innovation, and ambition to lead the Intelligence Age makes this the perfect partnership. We’ve always wanted to shape the future of brands and this acquisition will enable us to do so on a much larger scale.”
Paul Aaron, who will now report directly to Forbes, will also collaborate closely with R/GA’s global executive leadership team, including Tiffany Rolfe, Chair & Global Chief Creative Officer; Nick Coronges, Global Chief Technology Officer; and Melissa Jackson Parsey, Global Chief Strategy Officer.
