Features
DEAG Strengthens Spoken Word Department
DEAG has bolstered its market position in the area of spoken word and literary events by acquiring 85% of British company How To Academy.
The acquisition was made via DEAG subsidiary Fane Productions Ltd., which it acquired in 2021 (via DEAG’s UK subsidiary Kilimanjaro Live). One of the leading spoken word companies in the UK, How To Academy organizes live and digital readings, debates, conferences, courses, and other events. It also produces podcasts, live streams, films, and publishes books.
See: DEAG Acquires Fane Productions
How To Academy has organized literature, business, politics, and film events featuring international personalities including Bill Gates, Al Gore, Paul Krugman, Madeleine Albright, Natalie Portman, Yuval Noah Harari, and Ai Wei Wei, in recent years.
How To Academy managing director John Gordon will remain on board and continue to run the company in the long term together with his team, all of whom will remain with the company, according to the press release announcing the acquisition.
And it continues, “With the acquisition of How To Academy, DEAG is significantly expanding its activities, particularly in the area of digital events. DEAG also expects synergy effects with other Group companies in the development of new formats as well as in the acquisition of new locations and in the ticketing business. A large share of the tickets for How To Academy events will be sold exclusively via DEAG’s ticketing platforms in the future.”
DEAG stated that it “now occupies a leading position throughout Europe” in the spoken word segment, which also includes theater performances, author readings, and poetry slams. Fane is one of the growth drivers, producing spoken word and literary live streams, podcasts, and selleing books in over 90 countries. Fane also organizes corporate events and acts as a speakers bureau.
In 2023, DEAG counted a total of around 600,000 visitors in the spoken word, and literary events segment at events organiezd by its subsidiaries Fane and lit.COLOGNE, organizer of the international literature festival by the same name. It’s a huge increase from 2021, when DEAG counted 100,000 visitors in the spoken word, and literary events segment.
Detlef Kornett, co-CEO of DEAG, commented, “The spoken word, and literary events segment has been growing dynamically for years. We are delighted to be able to further expand our strong position by acquiring How To Academy. The addition of How To Academy’s complementary product range to our portfolio will result in significant synergy effects and cross-selling potential. How To Academy has a broad-based portfolio that perfectly complements our offering, especially for digital events. We see considerable growth opportunities in the Spoken Word & Literary Events segment and will unlock further added value through the acquisition of How To Academy. With Fane, lit.COLOGNE and How To Academy, we are in an excellent position to continue growth internationally and in Germany.”