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Hearst Newspapers has invested in The Martin Group, the Buffalo-based integrated communications shop.
The investment formalizes a relationship that began in 2018 when TMG took office space at Hearst’s Times Union paper in Albany.
With that tie, TMG "began to pursue certain clients with a joint service offering that combined Martin's branding, storytelling and message-building expertise with Hearst Newspapers' global reach and message-delivery prowess," John Mackowiak, the shop's PR/PA director, told O'Dwyer's.
George Hearst III, TU president & publisher, said the investment will help fund growth at TMG and “offer a combined ability to provide customized marketing solutions and strategies that deliver measurable performance” for clients in the sports, healthcare, food & beverage, financial services, education and non-profit sectors.
Tod Martin, founder/majority owner of TMG, will remain at the helm and Hearst will join the firm’s board.
TMG’s Lisa Strock and Matt Davison will become investors and equity owners of the firm. Strock will assume COO duties, while Davison will take on the chief business officer role.
TMG, which also has an office in Rochester, represents Wegmans, New Era Cap, Under Armour, Puma and Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation.
Hearst publishes 24 dailies—including the San Francisco Chronicle, Stamford Advocate, Houston Chronicle, Greenwich Time and San Antonio Express-News—and 52 weekly publications.
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