IMG Worldwide has acquired J. Patton Sports Marketing, Inc. (JPatton), a leading provider of brand protection and brand management solutions specializing in patented holographic security technologies and digital asset management.
The company, which is based in Metro Atlanta, GA, will continue to operate as JPatton and will become a business unit under IMG's Sports and Entertainment division. Financial details of the transaction are not disclosed.
“The services that JPatton offers in the areas of brand protection and brand management are a perfect fit with the industry-leading customer service and strategic marketing that IMG currently provides to our licensing clients,” added George Pyne, President of IMG's Sports and Entertainment Group. “This acquisition will also allow us to offer their expertise and production capabilities to service other IMG divisions, as well attract new partners in the areas of sports, fashion, entertainment, and events and hospitality that are looking for a solution to authenticating their brands.”
Ranked the number one global licensing company by License! Global Magazine since 2009, IMG currently manages the trademark licensing rights for top brands that comprise more than $8.1 billion in retail sales and include partners such as PGA TOUR, Wimbledon, Salt Life, ESPN X Games, Arnold Palmer, Playboy, Goodyear, Ferrari, Vail Resorts, Kentucky Derby, Louisville Slugger, and more than 200 top collegiate institutions.
With the acquisition, JPatton's current leadership team will remain in place, including Founder Jim Patton.
“We are excited to be joining the IMG family and aligning our business with the industry leader in brand licensing and marketing,” stated Jim Patton, founder and CEO of JPatton. “We've enjoyed a long-standing partnership with IMG and many of its current clients, and we look forward to the opportunities ahead to expand our service offerings and build on our 17 years of successfully helping brand owners protect their brands.”
With the International Chamber of Commerce estimating that the value of counterfeit goods globally will exceed $1.7 trillion by 2015, JPatton specializes in brand protection solutions that aid in the fight against counterfeiting, tampering, and product diversion. JPatton works with domestic and international partners in various industries including brand licensing, sports marketing, software, government agencies, manufacturing, and not-for-profit organizations. Their patented process has produced over 1.8 billion holographic hang tags and labels worldwide, protecting more than $10 billion in intellectual property for many well-known Fortune 500 companies and organizations.
