Brands are fleeing TV for social. The agency behind 50 Cent’s and Alix Earle’s viral Super Bowl-week ads just sold for at least $100 million

Two viral Super Bowl ads in recent years—Alix Earle’s "hangover burger" for Carl’s Jr. and 50 Cent’s "Beef 101" for DoorDash—didn’t air on national television; instead, they were created for social media. The agency behind these ads, Get Engaged, has just merged with SAMY, a global social-first marketing company, in a deal valued at over $100 million.

The founders of Get Engaged—Cam Fordham, Alex Dermer, and Ben Hiott—will remain with the newly formed company. Fordham, who started the agency as a side hustle in 2016, explained that they initially helped Atlanta hip-hop artists with their marketing needs. During the pandemic, as brands shifted their budgets from traditional media to digital platforms like social media, Get Engaged capitalized on this trend.

Today, they have over 100 employees across several U.S. cities and clients such as DoorDash, Perplexity, Raising Cane’s, Universal Music Group, EA, and Sazerac. Revenue for Get Engaged has grown by 40% year over year. The partnership with SAMY, valued at at least $100 million, will allow Get Engaged to expand further while keeping its founders on board.