Granite has stepped up its North American ambitions with the acquisition of US branding and design agency Right Hat, a deal that marks another significant moment for the wider Media campaign ireland landscape. The move not only expands Granite’s physical footprint in the United States, but also signals how Irish agencies are increasingly scaling internationally through targeted acquisitions, specialist talent and deeper sector expertise.
For a Cork-founded digital agency to strengthen its presence across New York, Chicago and Washington DC is no small development. It reflects a bigger trend in Irish marketing and communications: ambitious firms are no longer content to compete locally alone. Instead, they are building global capabilities in branding, data, digital marketing and AI-led services to win larger, more complex client mandates.
Granite’s latest deal strengthens its North American platform
The acquisition of Right Hat is Granite’s tenth since 2020 and its second in North America this year, following its purchase of Creative Media in March. With this latest deal, Granite adds a respected US agency with a long-standing reputation in branding and marketing for professional services firms and B2B organisations.
Right Hat will continue to operate under its own brand, an approach often used when the acquired business has strong market recognition and an established client base. That matters in sectors such as legal, consulting and professional services, where trust, relationships and specialist positioning are critical to growth.
From a Media campaign ireland perspective, the acquisition is notable because it combines Irish digital transformation expertise with established US brand strategy credentials. This creates a stronger cross-Atlantic offering for clients seeking integrated support across:
- Brand strategy and positioning
- Research and customer insight
- Creative development and content
- Digital marketing and performance services
- Engineering, data and AI-enabled solutions
Why Right Hat is a strategic fit for Granite
Right Hat brings more than two decades of experience and has worked with over 200 clients globally, including major names such as Microsoft, American University and several leading US law firms. Its reputation has been built around helping professional services brands articulate value, sharpen messaging and compete more effectively in demanding sectors.
That expertise complements Granite’s existing strengths. While Granite has developed capabilities across digital delivery, data, marketing technology and artificial intelligence, Right Hat adds depth in brand development and creative strategy, particularly in legal and professional services.
This alignment matters in today’s market. Clients increasingly want agency partners that can connect brand storytelling with measurable business outcomes. In practical terms, that means combining big-picture strategic thinking with execution across channels, platforms and customer journeys.
For observers of Media campaign ireland, this is the kind of acquisition that shows how modern agencies are evolving. The most competitive groups are no longer defined by one discipline alone. They are building multi-specialist teams that can deliver everything from research and messaging to automation, data analysis and campaign optimisation.
Specialist expertise in legal and professional services
One of Right Hat’s strongest differentiators is its focus on legal and professional services organisations. These sectors have unique communications needs, often requiring carefully calibrated messaging, reputation management and sophisticated business development support.
Its biennial “Top of Mind” report, based on research among buyers of legal services, has also helped position the agency as a knowledgeable voice in how firms communicate with clients and win new business. That kind of proprietary insight can be a major advantage in a competitive agency market.
For Granite, this means immediate access to deeper domain knowledge in a valuable vertical, strengthening its proposition to firms that need both strategic branding and high-performance digital capability.
Leadership changes signal long-term investment
The deal is not just about geography or client lists; it is also about leadership. Right Hat founder Charlyne Fabi becomes executive creative director of North America, while partner Jeorjina Tegel takes on the role of VP of client strategy & growth, North America.
Both executives will join Granite’s US leadership team alongside chief commercial officer Rob Carpenter. Their appointments suggest this is a growth investment rather than a simple bolt-on acquisition. Retaining senior talent after a deal is often one of the strongest signs that an agency group is serious about preserving expertise while integrating new capabilities.
The enlarged group will now have more than 200 specialists working across strategy, engineering, design, data and marketing. In a world where clients expect seamless collaboration across disciplines, that scale could give Granite a stronger edge in the US and beyond.
What this means for the Media campaign ireland market
The significance of this story extends beyond one transaction. For the Media campaign ireland sector, Granite’s move highlights several important industry shifts:
- Irish agencies are becoming global players: Expansion into major US markets shows confidence, ambition and operational maturity.
- Integrated services are now essential: Clients increasingly want agencies that can unite branding, digital, data and AI.
- Sector specialisation matters: Expertise in areas like legal and professional services can unlock higher-value, longer-term client relationships.
- Acquisitions remain a fast track to growth: Buying established firms can provide talent, reputation and local market access more quickly than organic expansion alone.
As the agency world becomes more consolidated, stories like this are likely to become more common. Irish-founded businesses with strong digital capabilities are increasingly looking abroad for growth, while also bringing back expertise and credibility that can strengthen their home-market standing.
Granite’s US ambitions are clear
Granite has made no secret of its long-term North American plans. The company expects the region to account for around half of its global revenues by 2028, underlining just how central the US market has become to its strategy.
That ambition helps explain the pace of acquisition activity. Building a serious presence in North America requires local relationships, on-the-ground teams and category-specific credibility. Right Hat appears to offer all three, especially in sectors where trust and specialist knowledge can be decisive.
For brands, marketers and agency watchers alike, this is more than a headline about expansion. It is a case study in how Irish agencies are using M&A to scale faster, broaden services and compete in major international markets.
Conclusion
Granite’s acquisition of Right Hat is a meaningful development for both the US agency market and the wider Media campaign ireland conversation. By combining American branding expertise with Irish digital, data and AI capability, Granite is building a broader, more competitive international offering. The clear takeaway is that Irish agencies with ambition are no longer thinking small: they are investing boldly, specialising strategically and expanding globally to meet the changing demands of modern clients.
