Travers Collins, an upstate New York PR and advertising institution, has sold to the Martin Group after a 19-year run. Both agencies are based in Buffalo. TMG was founded in 2001 by Travers Collins alum Tod Martin, who is president and chief creative officer.
"He's done well and now we couldn't think of a better person or a better agency to hand off our business," TC co-founder Bill Collins said of Martin. Collins will stay on as an advisor through a transition period.
TC's five-member PR staff is the focus of the deal and other employees in the digital and ad ranks will be considered based on TMG needs, TMG said. Key staff moving over include executive VPs of PR Dick Shaner Jr. and Susan Asquith.
Collins, the PR brains behind TC, and adman Robert Travers founded TC in 1995. Travers retired earlier this year.
TC clients include Catholic Charities, Seneca Nation of Indians and Independent Health, among others. The firm suffered a blow in 2011 when two key staffers in its investor relations unit split to set up their own shop. The Buffalo News reported TC laid off six staffers in January due to client cutbacks, as well.
TMG's roster includes or the Buffalo Bills and Seneca Gaming Corp.
DJE Holdings, parent of Edelman and Zeno, launches RUTH as an independent shop named after Ruth Edelman, mental health advocate, wife and longtime business partner of Dan Edelman.
New York City PR firms make up the largest slice of O'Dwyer's 147 firm overall ranking with 33 of 40 in the New York/New Jersey area either calling Manhattan their home or having a presence there.
Subject Matter+Kivvit, which joined forces in May, has rebranded as Avoq, an integrated shop with more than 200 professionals in Washington, New York, Asbury Park (NJ), Miami and Chicago.
While PR pros stationed at in-house comms. teams and those working for agencies share many of the same objectives, they also have markedly different top priorities, according to a recent report.
Edelman is cutting 240 employees or about four percent of its workforce to cope with the cooling down of the PR sector, according to a memo from CEO Richard Edelman.
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