John Brown Media
Professional services
UnclaimedJohn Brown Media is a London-founded content marketing and customer communications agency that produces multichannel editorial and branded content for organizations and consumer brands.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
John Brown Media is a content marketing and customer communications agency founded in London in 1987 by John Brown, a publishing executive who had previously run Virgin Books. The business began as a magazine publisher rather than as a conventional advertising agency. Its first two titles were Viz, an adult comic magazine for which Brown had secured the rights, and HotAir, an inflight magazine produced for Virgin Atlantic. These launches established the company in consumer publishing while also giving it experience in creating editorial products for a defined audience and commercial partner. During its early years, John Brown Media expanded its publishing activities and experimented with specialist magazine formats. In 1989 it acquired the comics fanzine Speakeasy and converted it into a more formal magazine. The company launched the comics title Blast! in 1991, although both Speakeasy and Blast! were closed by the end of that year. The business continued to publish other newsstand titles, but its customer-magazine work grew more rapidly and became strategically more important. Early clients included Debenhams, IKEA, the Dorchester and Eurotunnel, helping establish the agency as a supplier of editorial communications created on behalf of companies and consumer-facing institutions. A major strategic shift occurred in 2001, when the company sold its consumer publishing titles, including Viz, to I Feel Good, a company associated with former Loaded editor James Brown. The reported transaction was valued at £6.4 million. The disposal allowed John Brown Media to concentrate on customer publishing and related corporate communications. It also absorbed Citrus Publishing, strengthening its position in the United Kingdom's customer publishing sector. The company broadened its capabilities through acquisitions and international expansion. CodeLondon, a specialist catalogue publishing agency, was acquired in 2006, followed by digital communications agency Fingal in 2007. John Brown Media opened an office in Cape Town in 2007. In 2008, the acquired businesses were reorganized to trade under the single John Brown name, creating a more unified agency identity and operating structure. The international network later expanded through the acquisition of Hong Kong agency Kleio in 2011, which was rebranded as John Brown Hong Kong, and through new offices in Dubai in 2013 and the United States in 2015. By the 2010s, John Brown Media had evolved from a magazine publisher into a broader multichannel content agency. Its work came to encompass customer magazines and editorial platforms as well as social media, film, audio and mobile content. This model positioned the company between publishing, marketing services and branded communications: it used editorial production and audience engagement techniques to help clients communicate with customers across print and digital channels. Andrew Hirsch, formerly associated with Pearl and Dean, became chief executive and initiated a management buyout in 2004. The buyout was followed by further acquisitions, changes in senior management and a broader range of marketing and strategic capabilities. In May 2015, John Brown Media was acquired by Dentsu Aegis Network, bringing the agency into the international communications group that later operated under the Dentsu umbrella. The available reference material does not provide a detailed current corporate profile, leadership roster or standalone financial information, but the brand is described as an established international content marketing agency operating through a network of offices and serving organizations across multiple markets.
History
John Brown Media was established in 1987 in Ladbroke Grove, London, by John Brown, who had previously run Virgin Books. It entered the market as a magazine publisher, launching Viz, an adult comic magazine for which Brown had obtained the rights, and HotAir, an inflight magazine for Virgin Atlantic. The initial business therefore combined consumer publishing with commissioned editorial production for a commercial client. The company pursued additional magazine opportunities during the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1989 it acquired Speakeasy, a comics fanzine, and converted it into a conventional magazine. In the middle of 1991 it launched Blast!, another comics title. Both Speakeasy and Blast! were discontinued by the end of 1991. Although John Brown continued to publish newsstand titles, the more durable growth opportunity came from customer magazines and other publications created for companies. Early customers included Debenhams, IKEA, the Dorchester and Eurotunnel. Customer publishing gradually became the center of the business. In 2001 John Brown sold its consumer titles, including Viz, to I Feel Good, a company belonging to former Loaded editor James Brown. The reported value of the transaction was £6.4 million. After the disposal, John Brown concentrated on customer communications and acquired Citrus Publishing. This transition moved the company away from consumer magazine ownership and toward agency-style publishing and marketing services, helping it become one of the United Kingdom's largest customer publishing businesses. A management buyout led by chief executive Andrew Hirsch followed in 2004. The company then expanded its service base and pursued acquisitions. CodeLondon, a specialist catalogue publishing agency, joined the business in 2006. Digital communications agency Fingal was acquired in 2007, the same year that John Brown opened an office in Cape Town. In 2008, senior management reorganized the acquired operations so that they traded under one John Brown identity instead of operating as a collection of separate businesses. International development continued with the acquisition of Hong Kong agency Kleio in 2011. The acquired operation was rebranded John Brown Hong Kong. The agency opened in Dubai in 2013 and established a United States office in 2015. These moves reflected the company's development from a predominantly British customer-publishing house into an international content and communications network. Its capabilities expanded beyond printed customer magazines. John Brown Media came to produce multichannel content for brands and other organizations, including social media material, film, audio and mobile communications. The agency's proposition combined editorial planning, publishing, digital production and audience-focused brand communications. This placed it within the wider content marketing sector rather than the traditional consumer magazine market alone. In May 2015, John Brown Media was acquired by Dentsu Aegis Network. The transaction connected the agency to a global communications group and represented the latest stage in its transformation from an independent magazine publisher into a specialist content marketing company. The available reference does not identify a complete current executive team, detailed post-acquisition operating structure, current website or standalone financial results. Those matters require further verification.
- 2015
Acquired by Dentsu Aegis Network
[1]Dentsu Aegis Network acquired John Brown Media in May; the company also opened a United States office during the year.
- 2013
Dubai office opened
[1]The agency expanded its international network into Dubai.
- 2011
Kleio acquired in Hong Kong
[1]Hong Kong agency Kleio was acquired and rebranded as John Brown Hong Kong.
- 2008
Group rebranded under one name
[1]Acquired businesses were reorganized to trade under the John Brown banner.
- 2007
Fingal acquired and Cape Town office opened
[1]John Brown expanded its digital communications capability through Fingal and established a South African office in Cape Town.
- 2006
CodeLondon acquired
[1]The specialist catalogue publishing agency CodeLondon joined John Brown Media.
- 2004
Management buyout
[1]Chief executive Andrew Hirsch initiated a management buyout and oversaw a subsequent period of expansion.
- 2001
Shift to customer communications
[1]The company sold its consumer titles, including Viz, and concentrated on customer publishing after absorbing Citrus Publishing.
- 1991
Blast! launched
[1]John Brown launched the comics magazine Blast!, which was later closed along with Speakeasy by the end of the year.
- 1989
Speakeasy acquired
[1]The company acquired the comics fanzine Speakeasy and converted it into a formal magazine.
Products and positioning
An editorially led content marketing and customer communications agency that combines magazine publishing expertise with digital, social, film, audio and mobile production for brands and other organizations.
Consumer magazine · 1987
Viz
Viz was an adult comic magazine whose rights John Brown secured for the company's launch in 1987. It was one of the company's original consumer publishing titles and remained part of the portfolio until the consumer magazine business was sold in 2001.
Inflight magazine · 1987
HotAir
HotAir was an inflight title produced for Virgin Atlantic and launched alongside Viz when John Brown Media was formed. It represented the company's early experience creating editorial content for a commercial brand and a captive travel audience.
Comics magazine
Speakeasy
Speakeasy began as a comics fanzine and was acquired by John Brown Media in 1989. The company converted it into a more formal magazine, but the title was closed by the end of 1991.
Comics magazine · 1991
Blast!
Blast! was a comics magazine launched by John Brown Media in the middle of 1991. It was part of the company's early consumer publishing activity and was discontinued before the end of that year.
Customer publishing
Customer magazines
Customer magazines became John Brown Media's central offering after the company moved away from consumer magazine ownership. These publications are produced for brands and institutions to inform, engage and retain their customers through editorial content.
Content marketing
Multichannel branded content
The agency's broader content offering includes editorial and branded communications distributed across print and digital channels. Referenced capabilities include social media, film, audio and mobile content, allowing client communications to be adapted to multiple audience touchpoints.
Catalogue publishing · 2006
Catalogue publishing
Catalogue publishing became part of the agency's capabilities through the 2006 acquisition of CodeLondon, a specialist catalogue publishing agency.
Brand decisions
2015
Acquisition by Dentsu Aegis NetworkM&ABackground
John Brown Media had developed from a UK customer publishing company into an international content marketing agency with offices and capabilities across several markets.
Action taken
Dentsu Aegis Network acquired John Brown Media in May 2015.
Aftermath
The agency became part of Dentsu Aegis Network, connecting it with a larger international communications group.
2008
Unification under the John Brown brandStrategyBackground
The group had expanded through acquisitions, including catalogue and digital communications businesses.
Action taken
Senior management reorganized the acquired businesses so that they traded under the single John Brown name.
Aftermath
The reorganization created a more unified agency identity and presented the expanded service portfolio under one banner.
2001
Exit from consumer magazine publishingStrategyBackground
The customer-magazine side of the business was growing more strongly than the company's newsstand publishing portfolio.
Action taken
John Brown Media sold its consumer titles, including Viz, to I Feel Good in a reported £6.4 million transaction and focused on customer communications. It also absorbed Citrus Publishing.
Aftermath
The decision accelerated the company's transition into customer publishing and helped establish it as a leading UK customer publishing house.
Transaction value. £6.4 million (2001)
Sources1 sources
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