L&C New York buys back its Serviceplan stake — and the two agencies part ways
- Aug 14
- 3 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
L&C New York has bought back the minority stake held by Germany's Serviceplan Group after three years, ending the partnership and returning the acclaimed creative shop to full independence — a quiet unwind of one of Europe's biggest agency groups' US expansion bets.
What happened
L&C New York, the independent creative agency known for sharp, award-winning brand work, has repurchased the minority stake held by Serviceplan Group — Munich's family-owned network and the largest independent agency group in Europe. The buyback, reported on 12 August 2026 by Ad Age and MediaPost, formally ends a partnership that began around three years ago.
Serviceplan had taken the stake in 2023 as the centrepiece of its US expansion, a push that also included San Francisco's Pereira O'Dell. The ambition was to plant a creative flag in the world's largest advertising market. The unwind means L&C returns to full independence, while Serviceplan's American footprint narrows.
Both sides have framed the split as amicable. But the direction of travel is clear: a European network's attempt to buy its way into US creative has been reversed by the very agency it backed.
Why cross-border agency deals are hard
On paper, a German group buying into a hot New York shop makes sense — global clients want joined-up creative across markets, and scale is the holding companies' core pitch. In practice, creative agencies are people businesses, and minority stakes rarely deliver the cultural integration the spreadsheet promises.
Independence is often the product itself. Shops like L&C win business precisely because founders control the work and can move fast without holdco layers. A stake from a distant parent can dull that edge — and when it does, buying back autonomy becomes the logical next move, even at a cost.
For Serviceplan, the retreat is a reminder that the US remains famously difficult for European networks to crack. Culture, client relationships and talent don't transfer neatly across the Atlantic, and a minority position gives limited control when things drift.
The Marketing Minute read
For brands, the takeaway is to look past the logo on the door and ask who actually owns the agency you're hiring — and whether that ownership helps or hinders the work. Independence can mean sharper, faster creative; scale can mean broader reach and steadier resourcing. Neither is automatically better.
For agency leaders, the L&C story is a case study in optionality. Selling a minority stake can fund growth, but the smartest founders structure those deals so they can reclaim control if the partnership stops serving the work. L&C did exactly that.
And for the holding groups, it is a strategic nudge: buying influence in creative is easy; keeping it is not. The networks that win in the US tend to build or fully commit, rather than dabble with minority positions that satisfy no one.
Quick FAQ
What did L&C New York and Serviceplan announce?
L&C New York has bought back the minority stake that Germany's Serviceplan Group held in it, ending their roughly three-year partnership and returning L&C to full independence. It was reported in August 2026.
Why did Serviceplan invest in L&C in the first place?
Serviceplan took the stake around 2023 as part of a US expansion that also included Pereira O'Dell, aiming to establish a creative presence in the world's largest advertising market.
What does the buyback mean for the agencies?
L&C regains full control of its business, while Serviceplan's US creative footprint narrows — a reminder of how hard cross-border agency integration can be.
— Oliver Nikolla-Casado, International Markets Reporter at Marketing Minute
Buying influence in a creative agency is easy; keeping it is the hard part — and independence is often the product itself.
When you hire an agency, do you check who really owns it — and whether that helps the work?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: Ad Age, MediaPost and HORIZONT.
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Written by Oliver Nikolla-Casado, International Markets Reporter at Marketing Minute
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