Argentina's DON Joins Havas, Boosting its Global Creative Strength

Feb. 18, 2025

Today, Havas announced the acquisition of one of the most prominent independent creative agencies in Latin America, DON. This move strengthens Havas' global creative presence and reaffirms its longstanding commitment to investing in creativity to build the most meaningful brands. By investing in innovative and culturally attuned talent, Havas continues to ensure its clients’ brands remain impactful and relevant to their audiences. 

Headquartered in Buenos Aires and Mexico City, DON's team of 140 professionals brings a strong reputation for cutting-edge creativity, deep market expertise, and an impressive portfolio of award-winning campaigns for Latin America’s leading brands. Over the past year, DON has experienced a particularly strong growth momentum, securing a record number of new clients, with a roster spanning industries such as fast-moving consumer goods, financial services, transportation, and beyond.

Among its achievements:

• #1 Argentine Independent Agency (2008 – 2024)
• Best Argentine Independent Agency for 12 Consecutive Years by Jerry Goldenberg (2012–2024) 
• Top Indie Agency in Argentina with Most Cannes Lions (8 Lions)
• Top Regional Independent Agency in Effie Latam (2019, 2020)
• Top Local Independent Agency in Effie Argentina (2020, 2021)
• Most Awarded Independent Agency Latam in Ojo de Iberoamérica (2018–2021)
• Great Place to Work in Argentina (2024)

DON joins the organization under Havas Creative Network, relocating immediately to Havas Village Argentina, where the agency will integrate with HOY Argentina. Moving forward, DON and HOY Argentina will operate under the name, "DON by Havas". DON’s leadership team will stay on to ensure continuity and preserve its distinctive creative identity.

As part of the integration, DON by Havas will collaborate across Havas' main business lines: Creative, Media, Health and Production. Leveraging Havas’ Converged approach and global infrastructure, DON by Havas will combine its unmatched creative excellence and local market expertise with advanced media, production and technology capabilities to unlock new opportunities for innovation and business growth for its clients both regionally and globally. 

Yannick Bollore, CEO Havas said:

“I’d like to welcome Papon and his exceptional team to the Havas family. The addition of DON upholds our strategy of consistently investing in top-tier creative talent. Similar integrations, such as Battery in the US, BLKJ in Asia, and most recently, Uncommon in the UK and US, have further energized and strengthened our already leading-edge creative offering and are key to further differentiating Havas as an industry leader. I look forward to seeing how, together, we will push the boundaries of creativity to achieve meaningful results for our clients.” 

 

Juan Manuel "Papon" Ricciarelli, Founder and CEO, DON said: 

“DON by Havas combines the best of both worlds to offer a better version of each as well as a superior version together. Coming together allows DON to maintain its essence with the goal of deepening growth and adding more strength for its future. We are thrilled to move forward with an excellent partner like Havas. They will provide us with all the technology, tools, and support from their top professionals around the world, transforming us into a unique agency.”

 

Jorge Percovich, CEO Havas, Latam said:

“Integrating DON, a renowned Argentinian creative agency, into our operations will significantly enhance our offerings across business lines both regionally in Latin America and on a global scale. This strategic move will not only strengthen our market presence but also enrich our capabilities, allowing us to deliver even greater value to our clients worldwide. DON's great talent, excellence in creative craft, production and strategic approach to their client businesses will transcend frontiers to make us better and stronger across Latin America.”

 

Maria Jose Ezquerra, CEO Havas Argentina said:

“We are thrilled to welcome DON to Havas Village Argentina. DON by Havas will strengthen our holistic offering in Argentina and Latam, further enriching our creative capabilities and complementing our best-in-class media offering. The potential we can achieve together is tremendous and will allow us to maximize the value we deliver to our clients.”