Deloitte, Accenture Are Among Big IT Players Looking to Learn Digital Biz of Marketing Brands to Consumers

http://adage.com/article/digital/tech-consulting-giants-slide-closer-creative-shop-turf/232083/

Deloitte recently acquired mobile shop Übermind for a reported $40 million after the Seattle agency entertained a range of suitors, including agency-holding companies. Having made its name in systems integration and enterprise technology, Deloitte is adding the creative and design chops that built consumer-facing products such as Apple's first online store and Target's mobile and tablet apps.

Deloitte is not the first IT consultant to see that need. It's following a path Sapient Corp. forged years ago when it created its own agency, SapientNitro, which brought in $515 million in global revenue in 2010.

Accenture Interactive isn't claiming quite yet that it's a creative agency. Instead, it's been working in tandem with digital agencies to pitch new business around the world. One of its partners is European shop LBi; Mr. Whipple declined to speak about that relationship but stressed that relationships with agencies are "complementary, not competitive."