Transaction Category: Marketing Services

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.