New York – October 6, 2026 -- Lippincott, the global brand and marketing consultancy owned by Oliver Wyman, has agreed to acquire New York-based design studio Athletics, adding roughly 25 staff and a proprietary AI software platform called Sesame to its service lineup.
Deal closes November 2, 2026, folding a 25-person studio into Lippincott's network
The transaction is set to close November 2, 2026, at which point Athletics' team will join Lippincott while retaining its existing Brooklyn offices. Athletics, known for multidisciplinary work spanning identity, digital experiences and creative technology, has built brand systems for clients including Salesforce, IBM, Google, Amazon, MoMA and Major League Soccer.
Sesame AI tool extends Lippincott's reach into custom brand activation
Athletics' proprietary AI software, Sesame, is used to build custom brand activation tools and will be integrated into Lippincott's offering. The acquisition pairs Lippincott's strategic consulting scale—operating since 1943—with Athletics' prototyping-driven studio model, which emphasizes rapid iteration to turn abstract brand concepts into physical and digital experiences.
Lippincott CEO frames deal as response to AI-driven brand complexity
"Athletics' focus on practicality strengthens our ability to translate ambitious ideas into tangible applications,