LONDON — The Lede Company, which spans marketing, communications, talent management and large-scale events, has acquired Aisle 8 and its founder Lauren Winslade will join as president of brand in London.
Lede launched in New York and Los Angeles in 2018, and is led by cofounders and co-chief executive officers Amanda Silverman, Christine Su, Meredith O’Sullivan and Sarah Rothman. It has been expanding internationally, and the acquisition of Aisle 8 will add to its luxury consumer brand portfolio.
“Lauren has built one of London’s most respected communications agencies. The team’s deep relationships across U.K. media and their expertise in everyday luxury will both help us better serve our clients and further expand our presence internationally,” Su said.
Winslade will bring her team of 21 into Lede, while Matthew Avento will continue to oversee the talent and strategic communications divisions at Lede’s London office.
Aisle 8 was founded in 2014 and its client roster includes Merit, Ferrari, Wonderskin, Bicester Village, Jo Loves and Ruggable. The agency’s services include brand development, media relations, influencer and talent partnerships, social strategy and strategic counsel. It will be fully absorbed into Lede’s operations.
Winslade said joining Lede “brings the scale, talent, expertise and ambition” to take her brand-building vision further. “This is an opportunity to build something bigger for our clients and our people, and I’m thrilled to be starting this next chapter together.”
Lede opened a London office in 2022 and later acquired Paris-based agencies Olivier Bourgis Communication and Marketing and Ritual Projects. It also owns Element Brand Group, the U.S. brand partnerships and marketing agency.
Lede’s talent and music division represents more than 250 names in entertainment, including Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, Sabrina Carpenter, Emma Stone, Idris Elba and Reese Witherspoon, while its brand division crosses fashion, beauty, sports, wellness, automotive and tech.
Winslade’s career spans two decades. She began at luxury agency Aurelia PR in London before moving to Ketchum and then Hill & Knowlton, where she led fashion and beauty strategy for clients including Intel and P&G. She later moved to my-wardrobe.com, and then to Harrods to head PR and communications, where she led a 20-person team.
Lede’s acquisition of Aisle 8 speaks to a broader consolidation within the marketing, communications and talent management industry in the U.S. and Europe where agencies are clubbing together to offer a variety of services across continents, or buying complementary businesses in order to broaden their reach.