TRANSACTIONS

PALAZZO served as the exclusive financial advisor to Donut Digital, a creative-led performance marketing agency based in Manhattan Beach, California, on its sale to New Engen, a leading digital marketing agency. Founded in 2021, Donut Digital has established a reputation as one of the most innovative and fastest growing performance agencies through a highly differentiated creative-centric approach and efficient in-house production capabilities. Donut Digital’s acquisition will allow New Engen to create a full-service content studio, meeting client needs across all stages of the customer journey, from short form video and user generated content, to premium CTV/OTT content.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to True Independent Holdings, parent company of True Media, True Media Canada, Coegi, and RADaR, on its sale to Meet The People, the innovative alternative to the big advertising holding company model and a portfolio company of Innovatus Capital Partners. Founded in 2005, True Media quickly built a reputation for strong strategically-based planning and aggressive client advocacy in media negotiations. With more than 200 employees and offices in both the US and Canada, along with capabilities that include media planning and buying, a programmatic trading desk, and a data and analytics unit, TIH represents a significant addition to the growing MTP roster.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to GUT, Cannes Lions 2023’s Independent Network of the Year, on its sale to Globant, a digitally native company focused on reinventing businesses through innovative technology solutions. GUT has employees across seven offices in Miami, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Toronto, Mexico City, Los Angeles, and Amsterdam. The acquisition will boost Globant’s technology and creative offering, taking it to a new level, and support GUT’s expansion to new markets and industries while leading the inception of technology into advertising.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Evolution Road, a digital innovation company in life science omnichannel, digital marketing and digital health strategy, on its sale to Inizio. Evolution Road offers a range of strategic marketing services which help clients make data-driven strategic decisions to plan, execute and measure highly effective digital and omnichannel marketing programs, meet their brand objectives and improve real-world outcomes. As a result of the transaction, Evolution Road will become part of Inizio’s MarComms business unit, Evoke. Evolution Road will enhance Evoke’s commercial innovation offering, digital health solutions, and end-to-end omnichannel suite of services.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Outloud Media, a Detroit-based creator economy business with expertise distributing and monetizing creator content across multiple social media platforms like Facebook, on its sale to BBTV. The acquisition bolsters BBTV’s Multi-Platform Partnership solution, which provides content creators additional revenue across multiple social platforms. With a substantial and growing roster of prominent creators, Outloud Media has a strong reputation for proven distribution and revenue generation. Outloud Media’s existing operations and expertise will help drive incremental higher margin Base Solutions revenue for BBTV and its content creators.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to ERGO, a world-class email marketing company, on its sale to Shift Paradigm, a portfolio company of Growth Catalyst Partners. ERGO enhances advanced digital marketing personalization at scale, helping marketers leverage data and insights to auto-generate dynamic content email modules for a truly individualized one-to-one customer experience. By deepening its expertise in the areas of channel, campaign, and customer engagement, Shift Paradigm continues to pursue its vision of accelerating value creation through digital transformations that change how companies grow and engage with customers.

PALAZZO served as co-financial advisor to Lamark Media, an integrated digital marketing company, in securing an investment from TruArc Partners. Lamark Media offers digital marketing solutions, with specialization in e-commerce, lead generation, and digital customer acquisition strategy, and has clients ranging from emerging brands to Fortune 500 companies for both consumer and business-to-business initiatives. The newly formed partnership will provide Lamark Media with strategic support and significant capital resources to advance the Company’s growth strategy. This includes increased investment in people, capabilities, and technology, as well as the continued strategic acquisition of complementary businesses that augment and expand Lamark Media’s existing skill sets.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to MedEvoke, a medical analytics consultancy, on its sale to MEDiSTRAVA, a fully integrated, cross-functional strategic communications and healthcare advisory group and a division of Huntsworth. Founded in 1999, MedEvoke specializes in data analysis, cross-functional engagement, and seamless evolution of narrative. The acquisition broadens and deepens MEDiSTRAVA’s medical analytics capabilities and application of artificial intelligence (AI) for pharma and biotech clients.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Five Mill, a digital marketing agency and industry leader in enterprise-level search engine marketing and social media marketing solutions, on its sale to Barrington Media Group (BMG), a technology-enabled marketing services business that focuses on direct response advertisements across media channels and a portfolio company of Fort Point Capital. Founded in 2008 by Dan Soha, Five Mill utilizes extensive digital expertise as well as best-in-class proprietary, AI-driven bidding technology to optimize each client’s SEM goals.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Outform, an international retail innovation agency serving world-class brands and retailers, on its sale to Rapid Displays, a provider of custom merchandising display solutions and a portfolio company of Gemspring Capital. Headquartered in Miami with offices in the US, Europe, Israel, and China, Outform’s best-in-class creative and technology delivery capabilities and unique, data-driven shopper insights enable a suite of services that span the full merchandising execution lifecycle. The merger of Rapid Displays and Outform will create one of the world’s largest retail marketing companies and will better serve customers through enhanced product and service offerings and one-stop global execution.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Decoded, an integrated creative, technology, and media agency, on its sale to S4 Capital plc, the new age/new era digital advertising and marketing services company founded by Sir Martin Sorrell. Founded in 2014, Decoded has quickly grown the business (one of Adweek’s 2019 fastest growing agencies) and employs almost 200 people in New York and Los Angeles. As a result of the transaction, Decoded will merge and join forces with MediaMonks, the digital content arm of the S4 Capital family, which will significantly expand S4 Capital’s creative digital content capabilities, focusing on the more growth-rich digital end of the business.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Jarrard Phillips Cate & Hancock, a Nashville-based strategic communications and change management firm serving the healthcare industry, on its sale to The Chartis Group, a leading healthcare advisory and analytics firm and a portfolio company of Audax Private Equity. Award-winning Jarrard ranks among the top 10 healthcare communications firms in the nation. Specializing in areas such as issue navigation, transformation adoption, change management, strategic positioning, and M&A, Jarrard has served more than 500 healthcare provider clients. Jarrard brings great complementary strengths to Chartis by enhancing its expertise in communications and change management, furthering Chartis’ commitment to providing U.S. healthcare providers best-in-class advisory capabilities.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Camp + King, an award-winning creative agency, on its sale to Havas Group. Camp + King has offices in San Francisco and Chicago and specializes in brand storytelling to make brands Conversationworthy™. The agency also has an in-house content lab with capabilities in animation and digital design, as well as video production and editorial. The acquisition expands Havas’ North American network and adds digital, social, and content development capabilities.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Firewood Marketing an international digital marketing agency, on its sale to S4 Capital plc (SFOR.L), the new age/new era digital advertising and marketing services company founded by Sir Martin Sorrell, in a transaction valued at $150 million. As a result of the transaction, Firewood will merge and join forces with MediaMonks, the digital content arm of the S4 Capital family. This allows Firewood to enhance its capabilities, accelerate growth and bring its agile, efficient, and transparent way of working to new global clients.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Walker Sands, a marketing agency focused on accelerating the growth of B2B brands, in securing equity capital from Stone-Goff Partners. From strategy to execution, Walker Sands offers tailored solutions including public relations, demand generation, branding, creative, marketing strategy, and web to drive real business results for its B2B clients. The investment will fuel further growth for Walker Sands, including new service offerings, new offices and potential acquisitions.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Stern IR, a leading investor relations firm for entrepreneurial biotechnology and healthcare companies, on its sale to Precision Medicine Group. Stern IR supports more than 70 companies in the entrepreneurial biotechnology and healthcare sectors, and its core competencies include creation of investor relations strategy aimed at lowering the cost of capital, positioning and messaging development, relationship building with the financial community, and seamless tactical execution. With this acquisition, Precision significantly expands its capabilities to include a complete range of strategic communication services aimed at facilitating capital formation and enhancing client visibility and productive interactions with the financial community.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to the majority owner of Heard City in the sale of its equity interest to a private investor group. Heard City is a premier audio post-production company servicing the advertising, motion picture and television industries. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in New York City, Heard City’s next generation studio has mixed dozens of spots, including six Superbowl commercials.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Soulsight, an award-winning strategic branding, design and creative agency, on its sale to Bruin Sports Capital. Headquartered in Chicago, Soulsight specializes in holistic brand strategy, including strategic concept-to-commercialization development using a set of proprietary systems and tools proven to inspire innovation and drive business growth. The company has partnered with leading multinationals and premium brands including Campbell’s, Hershey’s, KraftHeinz, MillerCoors, Pepsico, Tyson, and Walgreens to manage, build, create and introduce an array of outstanding products and services worldwide. The acquisition adds another dimension to Bruin’s portfolio of high-growth, next-generation enterprises which represent the vanguard of the new consumer-driven global sports economy.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Republica, a leading independent multicultural agency, on its transaction with Havas. Based in Miami, Republica’s team of 120 experts specializes in creating relevant, enduring connections across culture, language, and technology, providing strategy, creative, research, media planning and buying, analytics, consumer science, digital, public relations, social, and experiential for brands in the U.S. and around the globe. The agency will be renamed Republica Havas and will continue offering expert multicultural marketing intelligence, combined with the ability to leverage Havas’ global integrated communications network as well as tap into parent company Vivendi’s media and entertainment properties.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Click3X, a video production company, on its sale to leading content company, Industrial Color Studios, a Frontenac portfolio company. Click3X is a pioneering video and post production studio with over 25 years of award-winning industry expertise in film, video and new media formats such as VR, AR and CGI. Click3X complements Industrial Color Studios’ plans for continued growth by adding creative strategy, video and branded content specialists, thereby positioning Industrial Color Studios as one of the industry’s most integrated content solutions platform.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to PIA, a motion content agency, on its sale to global content provider, CreativeDrive, a Bertram Capital portfolio company. PIA specializes in powerful storytelling through live action video, animation and original music that shapes experiences for global brands, including HP, SAP, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, PepsiCo and PetCo. Headquartered in Carlsbad, Ca., with additional offices in San Francisco and Portland, OR., PIA’s top-tier video content solution will be offered to CreativeDrive’s clients to enhance their own stories and video needs.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Scout, a leading healthcare and consumer marketing agency, on its sale to The Stagwell Group via its fund Stagwell Media, a holding company started by former WPP and Microsoft executive Mark Penn. Scout is an expert in the specialty pharmaceutical and rare disease space with a strong presence in the neurology and immunology categories. Scout has offices in Atlanta, Chicago, and San Diego and more than 140 employees.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Grupo Gallegos, an independent creative agency, on its acquisitions of digital agency Canvas and public relations firm RL Public Relations + Marketing (RLPR). Together with the acquisitions, Grupo Gallegos is launching a more integrated and broadly targeted communications group United Collective.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Trisect, a creative agency located in Chicago, on its sale to Match Marketing Group, a leading activation and engagement marketing agency. Trisect has delivered best-in-class marketing campaigns for an impressive list of brands such as PepsiCo, Kawasaki, Chicago Bears, Slim Jim and Mike’s Hard Lemonade. The addition of Trisect further enhances Match’s broad portfolio of services, providing the most effective and comprehensive range of marketing solutions. This acquisition is part of Match’s ongoing focus of growing its business to include specialized agencies in North America that strengthen its national presence and enhances its suite of integrated marketing solutions.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Upshot, an industry-leading, consumer marketing agency based in Chicago, on its sale to Advantage Solutions. The addition of Upshot to Advantage Solutions will create a comprehensive end-to-end brand marketing capability that enables clients to optimize brand activation and the journey to purchase. Founded in 1994, Upshot has grown to 170 employees and partners with world-class brands like Starbucks, Google, Corona, New Balance, Proctor & Gamble and Scotts Miracle-Gro. Upshot will continue operating under its current name as a business unit within Advantage’s marketing division, Advantage Marketing Partners.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Praytell, an award-winning PR and creative communications agency, on its sale to Project:Worldwide, an independent agency network. Praytell is the first PR firm to join Project, which has made 13 acquisitions since it was founded in 2010. As one of the fastest growing agencies in the U.S. and one of PRWeek’s best places to work in 2015 and 2014, Praytell blends social and digital expertise into a nimble, holistic communications offering. The agency is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY with additional offices in San Francisco, Austin, and Los Angeles.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Standing Dog, a Dallas-based digital marketing firm specializing in SEO/SEM and social media marketing, on its sale to Wpromote, a digital marketing agency headquartered in El Segundo, CA. Standing Dog will continue to serve longstanding hospitality and real estate clients such as Marriott International, Omni Hotels & Resorts
and Greystar Real Estate Partners. The acquisition combines both companies’ digital, technical and creative capabilities and expands WPromote’s offering regionally and in new sectors, including hospitality and real estate.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Muhtayzik Hoffer, a San Francisco-based creative agency, on its sale to VCCP, an operating group of Chime Communications. The nationally recognized agency, Muhtayzik Hoffer, was founded in 2010 and in the past year has nearly doubled in size and today serves a blue chip client roster including Audi, AAA, Netflix, and SoFi. VCCP opened in 2002 and is part of Chime Communications, which in 2015 was taken private by Providence Equity Partners, which owns around 80% of the group. WPP owns the other 20%. The transaction will create a new global challenger network.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Media Experts, a Canadian media planning and buying agency, on its sale to IPG Mediabrands, the media and communications arm of Interpublic Group (NYSE:IPG). Mark Sherman, the Founder, Owner and CEO of Media Experts will continue in his role leading the company with his executive team and its 150 employees. Media Experts will continue to service clients in the areas of media planning and buying, search engine optimization, search engine marketing and programmatic trading. The company’s roster of clients includes leading Canadian and global brands.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Ferrara & Company, a full-service advertising and marketing agency, on its sale to PureRED Integrated Marketing. Ferrara & Company has a rich 30 year history of developing creative campaigns that include TV, Digital, Print, and Professional Marketing services for major blue chip clients. The union of these two premier agencies will deliver a highly differentiated set of capabilities and services creating a Channel Marketing Powerhouse in the Retail, CPG and Business to Business markets.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to inVNT, a New York-based experiential marketing company that specializes in live media, digital and traditional media, brand environments and creative services on its sale to Time Inc. inVNT has created events that span 60 countries across six continents for Fortune 50 brands that include Intel, PepsiCo, Merck, General Motors, Subway, Juniper Networks and the Outdoor Advertising Association of America. The two companies together currently present more than 575 events a year – in the consumer and business-to-business space.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Digital Kitchen, a digital content and design agency, on its sale to kyu, a strategic operating unit of Hakuhodo DY Holdings Inc. Digital Kitchen has offices in Chicago, Seattle and Los Angeles and takes a unique approach of blending strategic creative development, film, animation, digital, experiential design and rich brand storytelling to provide high-engagement brand solutions.

PALAZZO advises Underline Communications, a New York City based CRM and digital solutions agency on its sale to sandbox, a full service advertising agency established through the acquisition of complementary entrepreneurial marketing services firms. Underline helps leading brands including American Express and Leading Hotels of the World build valuable customer relationships through personalized communications and engaging digital experiences. In connection with this transaction sandbox also announced the acquisition of McCormick Company and ONE Advertising.

PALAZZO served as exclusive financial advisor to Pereira & O’Dell, a leading international advertising agency, on its share repurchase from Grupo ABC. Pereira & O’Dell was most recently named as a “Standout Agency” in Advertising Age’s 2015 A-list and as one of the “Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Advertising” by Fast Company in 2014. With four offices in the US and Brazil, Pereira & O’Dell is currently working with major leading international brands for Skype, Intel, Coca-Cola, Henkel, Fiat-Chrysler, Anheuser-Busch Inbev, Fox Sports 1 and Memorial Sloan Kettering.

PALAZZO advises Formula, a national public relations agency, on its sale to Havas. The new entity, Havas Formula, will comprise of about 100+ staff across three offices in New York, Los Angeles and San Diego. As one of the nation’s top PR firms, Formula has established a name for itself as a progressive firm that serves challenger brands looking to disrupt the market. Formula has represented clients as Heineken, Nestlé, Wyndham Hotel Group, and Dunkin’ Donuts.

PALAZZO advises Swift, a digital agency that specializes in creative and strategy, branded content creation and social media, on its sale to POSSIBLE, a wholly owned WPP company. Swift was recently recognized as “Small Agency of the Year, Northwest” by Advertising Age, which speaks to the Company’s creative excellence, innovation and ability to deliver excellent results for their clients. Portland, OR based Swift serves a client roster including major names such as Starbucks, HTC and Nestle.

PALAZZO, in association with David C. Wiener, have advised MKTG INC, a full service marketing agency, on its sale to Aegis Lifestyle, Inc., a subsidiary of Dentsu Aegis Network. MKTG is headquartered in New York with full service offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Cincinnati and London, England. MKTG provides experiential marketing, digital marketing, retail promotions and strategic research to a variety of the world’s most recognizable brands.

PALAZZO advises AMMIRATI, a New York-based full service creative shop on its sale to the Midwest digital agency Resource as part of a broader plan to revamp the agency’s brand. The acquisition gives Resource, a digital agency with over 300 staffers across San Francisco, Chicago, Columbus and Cincinnati, more creative clout and a New York presence.

PALAZZO advises La Comunidad, a leading creative agency renowned for award-winning, engaging campaigns that consistently break boundaries in cross-cultural marketing, on its sale to SapientNitro, part of Sapient. La Comunidad joins SapientNitro’s capabilities across brand, digital, commerce, and technology and will strengthen its storyscaping approach — which combines the power of storytelling with systems thinking to allow brands to create not just ads but worlds.

PALAZZO advises GA Communication Group, a full-service healthcare marketing and communication agency, on its sale to sandbox. GA has become a founding member of sandbox, a global marketing and advertising agency network based in Chicago. Aiming to fill a void in an advertising industry dominated by large holding companies, sandbox will continue to build its network with mid-size marketing and advertising agencies worldwide.

PALAZZO advises McKinney, an award winning advertising agency located in Durham, North Carolina on its sale to Cheil Worldwide, Korea’s largest and one of the world’s leading marketing communications networks.

PALAZZO acts as exclusive financial advisor to Middleberg Communications on its acquisition of GS Scwhartz & Co., a full service public relations agency.

PALAZZO advises Stratagem Healthcare Communications on its sale to Dudnyk. The acquisition will help Dudnyk bolster its West Coast presence and add medical-device marketing expertise.

PALAZZO Advises TargetCast tcm, a leading full-service media agency, on its sale of a majority partnership interest to MDC Partners. TargetCast co-founder Steve Farella to head New MDC Partners Media Group, Maxxcom Global Media.

PALAZZO advises Luckie & Company on acquisition of data analytics firm Integrative Logic. The combination of IL’s business intelligence expertise and Luckie’s brand-building practice will give consumer and B2B brands a true market differentiator and a stronger competitive advantage.

PALAZZO advises St. John & Partners on the sale of selected assets to Team Detroit, a member of WPP.

PALAZZO advises Cell Division, a digital life science agency (FKA CCG Metamedia and Quicksilver Science) on the sale of selected assets to Euro RSCG Life, a member of HAVAS Health.

PALAZZO advises healthcare marketing communications firm Seidler Bernstein on its sale to Kelley Habib John (KHJ). The move creates a healthcare brand powerhouse by joining extensive business and consumer marketing know-how in every segment of the new healthcare economy.

PALAZZO acts as financial advisor to Engine USA, the newly formed communications and marketing services group, on its acquisition of young-adult marketing agency, Noise. The purchase of Noise represents Engine’s second transaction of 2010 and brings to Engine crucial expertise in the 18 to 34 year-old market.

PALAZZO represents Grupo Gallegos, an independent, creatively driven, marketing solutions company on its acquisition of Nine Two, a general market advertising and marketing agency with a specialty in promotions. This deal for Grupo Gallegos is part of the agency’s effort to respond to and anticipate its clients’ needs for integrated campaigns with targeted messages that play across many countries, cultures and subcultures. Nine Two will allow Grupo Gallegos to offer a broader spectrum of services to its growing client roster.

PALAZZO acts as exclusive financial advisor to Engine USA, the newly formed communications and marketing services group, on its acquisition of Deep Focus, the New York-based full-service interactive marketing agency. Deep Focus’ culture and reputation for break-through digital solutions make it a great fit for Engine USA. This deal reflects a determined effort by Engine USA, part of the Engine Group, London’s largest independent communications and marketing company, to transplant the same culture of innovation and collaborations been so remarkably successful in London.

PALAZZO announced it acted as financial advisor to ENGINE, the UK’s leading independent communications company, on its partnership with puris.bernbach.partners, to create ENGINE USA.

PALAZZO acts as exclusive financial advisor to TargetCast tcm on its acquisition of Triumph360, a full-service digital shop. The move marks TargetCast tcm’s first major acquisition since its inception in 2002 and comes as the agency seeks to broaden the breadth and scope of its services in anticipation of clients’ increasingly digital focus.

PALAZZO advises Middleberg Communications in transaction with The Dowd Agency. Don Middleberg, a widely recognized leader in public relations and CEO of Middleberg Communications, and Jim Dowd, CEO of The Dowd Agency, today announced the combination of their two firms. The new, full-service agency will operate as Middleberg Communications, with The Dowd Agency as its consumer division.