True True North

True North Communications, New York, has grouped its promotion agencies including Market Growth Resources, Wilton, CT, and McCracken Brooks Communications, Minneapolis, in a new unit dubbed the Promotion Services Group. Each shop continues to run independently, but will cross-sell services to existing and new clients. MGR exec Wes Bray was named president of the group, with the mandate to improve each unit’s profitability and quality of work, cross-sell services, and shop for other agencies to buy.

“Clients are looking for agencies with a range of complementary services,” Bray said.

“To offer that as a massive global agency would mean constantly wrestling with client conflicts. By bundling autonomous shops, we can present an array of services and take advantage of operational synergies, and still operate independently to pursue our own business.”

The group includes design shop Peterson Group and sports marketer Properties Group, both New York, and Performance Media, Wilton, CT.