The Marketing Continuum will move forward with new financial resources but the same senior management in place after its acquisition by New York City-based Hawkeye Communications, says Marketing Continuum president David Mullen.
“We hadn’t necessarily seen the benefit of becoming a part of a larger group before. But this clicked,” says Mullen. “[Hawkeye ceo] Steve Dapper is a person of the highest integrity, and our association with Hawkeye will provide terrific benefits for our clients and resources to attract top talent and services,” he adds.
Growth in existing accounts and new business from such companies as Dr Pepper/7-Up and Hollywood Casino Corp. helped Dallas-based TMC jump from 39th to 15th in the promo 100 in 1999, with net revenue growing to $7.5 million. Fred Marxer is ceo and Scott Feraco vp-creative at the agency, which built up business in recent years by crafting strategic efforts for brands including Triarc’s Snapple and Labatt USA’s Rolling Rock.
Founded in January by Dapper, former chairman and ceo of Rapp Collins, Hawkeye is building a network of communications and promotion agencies. Ronnie Cohen, former president of Ayer Direct, is executive vp and managing director. So far this year, Hawkeye has purchased HMS Direct, a Cincinnati-based business-to-business sales support firm, and Albany, NY-based Creative Communication of America, which helps universities recruit students.
Backed by investment firms GTCR and Golden Rauner, both Chicago, which control a $3 billion war chest for acquisitions, Hawkeye can get “whatever capital we need to become a premier deliverer of marketing services,” Dapper boasts, adding that he expects the company to be a $500 million enterprise in five years. “We have offers out to nine other companies in North America.”
The Marketing Continuum will operate independently under its own name. “They’re one of the preeminent leaders in the promotional marketing field, with creative work that is widely acknowledged as best in class,” says Dapper. “They’re smart, they’re young, and they’re aggressive, and we think we can provide them with capital for growth to help them broaden their client base.”
Dapper held the top post at Rapp Collins for eight years before launching Hawkeye. Before that, he helped form sales promotion agency Henderson and Dapper, then worked at Wunderman Cato Johnson.
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