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TheBuzz
Erika Engle
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Merged agency needs bigger holiday party venue
HAWAII'S new 800-pound marketing gorilla is
Anthology Marketing Group Inc., now that the acquisition of Starr Seigle Communications Inc. is complete.
The deal, for undisclosed terms, was announced in March by McNeil Wilson Communications Inc. and sister company Laird Christianson Advertising Inc., which also unveiled the new parent company name yesterday.
Anthology boasts annual gross capitalized billings north of $90 million, 140-plus employees and a mile-long client list.
Its subsidiaries are McNeil Wilson, Laird Christianson, QMark Research and StarrTech Interactive.
"While the Starr Seigle brand will be gone, its excellence in advertising, research and interactive marketing will continue and fits perfectly in our business model," said Dennis Christianson, Anthology chief executive officer and Laird Christianson president.
Starr Seigle Advertising has been absorbed into Laird Christianson, StarrPR, folded into McNeil Wilson and StarrTech will soak up Laird Christianson's Tapestry Interactive.
Anthology will fill the 9th floor and nearly all of the 8th floor of Bishop Square's Pauahi Tower following construction.
Being the biggest can pose a problem during economic downturns, when big clients go across the street or go bankrupt, which happened to once-biggest Starr Seigle.
Anthology has a "highly diversified approach," Christianson said, "both in terms of the disciplines we work in and our client base." He believes that will help insulate the company. "That's why double-hulled canoes are so good in big waves."
Monikering the multidisciplinary monolith was monstrous.
Let's see, is there a good, word-like acronym to be made from the principals' names? Hmm, Christianson, David McNeil, David Wilson, Buck Laird, David Koch, Phil Wood, Barbara Ankersmit, Noelle Baker and Mary Fastenau. Nope, not enough vowels among the initials.
"When you have nine, really sharp marketing people trying to name themselves, it's a good time to take a long vacation," Christianson chuckled. It's easier to brand a client, he said.
They chose anthology, as it means a collection of stories, compositions or other creative works by the same author(s); a body of creative activity organized around a central theme; or an assembly of related ideas.
Internally, and you may soon see this at anthologymarketing.com, Anthology also means, "Hawaii's largest and most comprehensive integrated marketing company."
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4747, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached at:
eengle@starbulletin.com