Big Fuel (www.bigfuel.com), the New York-based social media agency, has sold a majority stake to Publicis Groupe (Paris: PUB.PA) (www.publicisgroupe.com).  Publicis Groupe immediately acquires 51% of Big Fuel and has the opportunity to increase its participation to 100% by 2014.  Big Fuel will be aligned under the VivaKi organization and serve as a strategic social media center for VivaKi agencies Digitas, Razorfish, Starcom MediaVest Group and Zenith Optimedia.

Big Fuel is one of the only pure-play social media agencies in the industry, and the company has grown from 30 employees in early 2010 to a current total of more than 170.  Its 2011 revenue is expected to reach nearly $30 million, a 500% increase over 2010.  The agency is headed by CEO Jon Bond, in partnership with Avi Savar, Founding Partner and Chief Creative Officer and Mike McGraw, Managing Partner and COO.  According to Mr. Bond, "Now that social media is revolutionizing global marketing, this partnership gives the agency and its clients scale, impact, and a network around the world.  This partnership is a marriage of skill and scale.”

JEGI represented Big Fuel in this transaction and acted as its exclusive financial advisor.  For more information, click here.