Within the past couple of years, a number of Atlanta creative service businesses have been involved in high profile marriages. The New York headquartered Jack Morton Company, which is also owned by Interpublic and specializes in interactive media, live events, entertainment and environmental design, acquired locally owned O'Connor-Burnham.
Consolidation seems to be as much the trend here as it is nationwide.
According to those who've been through the process, the best predictor of a successful union is finding a compatible match that offers resources, growth potential, and autonomy. During the past 10 years, the U.S. services industry as a whole has undergone major consolidation in nearly every area, from banks to software companies. Logically, creative services must follow in order to keep pace with the clients. Communications companies are consolidating in response to the clients, it's a natural progression of business. We now have trillion-dollar global banks, and they need big agency attention and worldwide resources.