Combination Brings New Leading Independent Agency to Boston

ALBANY - HB Agency, a Boston-based integrated marketing and public relations agency with deep expertise in B2B and technology, will combine with Eric Mower + Associates, one of the largest independent U.S. marketing agencies. The combination becomes effective Oct. 1.

Together, EMA and HB create a digitally-integrated agency with more than 250 professionals and estimated 2015 capitalized billings approaching $250 million. Both organizations see an opportunity to bring powerful new agency resources to Boston and New England companies seeking high return on their advertising, marketing and PR investments. Together, they will offer a wealth of experience creating breakthrough digitally integrated campaigns.

This combination, EMA's second in the past 12 months, continues EMA's growth as a national agency and further strengthens its B2B practice. EMA now serves clients from nine different cities in five states.

"Combining the two firms' capabilities will produce extraordinarily powerful, creative options for clients seeking to grow their customer engagement and sales; greater opportunities for employees; and a wider range of services to attract new and larger regional and national clients," said Eric Mower, chairman and CEO of EMA. "Together, EMA and HB can offer even stronger capabilities and expertise to clients in the region, especially those in the area's technology sector." 

(Eric Mower)

HB is one of Boston's fastest growing integrated marketing agencies. The agency has a strong background in creating breakthrough integrated marketing campaigns for B2B clients in highly specialized fields such as high tech, energy and sustainability and medical technology. HB's PR and branding work has won numerous regional and national awards. These include Bell Ringer Awards from the Publicity Club of New England, Content Marketing Institute, Telly Awards, Communitas Awards and a Summit Marketing Effectiveness SIA Award.

HB's CEO Nicolas Boillot and President/Creative Director Kevin Hart co-founded the firm in 1999. Hart will continue to lead the Boston office and will join EMA as a partner. Boillot will remain a member of the HB/EMA leadership team during the initial months of the combination, serving in a consulting role through the end of 2015. Boillot will then leave the firm to focus on a business he co-founded, SystemOne, which focuses on connected medical diagnostics in the developing world. HB's full professional staff of 20 will continue to lead client teams and be retained as part of HB/EMA. 

"For more than a decade, businesses in our region have had the same handful of choices when it comes to agencies that can deliver on national and international advertising, marketing and PR campaigns," said Hart. "Our combination with EMA brings a new, creative powerhouse with extraordinary B2B and technology marketing capabilities to the region."

"EMA's team has impressed us for years with its uncompromising integrity, deep expertise in markets we value, and best practices in a constantly shifting marketing landscape," added Boillot. "Our combined capabilities creates a new and powerful choice for regional and national businesses who want to build breakthrough brands and powerful advertising and PR campaigns."

HB will operate as HB/Eric Mower + Associates into the second half of 2016 and then adopt the EMA name, as has happened in other combinations in other markets. Terms of the combination were not released.

EMA and HB know each other well, having collaborated for a number of years through their mutual affiliation with IPREX, a global network of independent public relations and integrated marketing agencies.  In addition to working on IPREX initiatives together, EMA and HB have partnered on several new business pitches in the last year.

Eric Mower + Associates is a digitally-integrated independent marketing and public relations agency. With 250 professionals in Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and New York City, N.Y.; Atlanta; Boston; Charlotte, N.C.; and Cincinnati. EMA delivers strategic insights, digital solutions, smart creative, and award-winning results to clients. Part of two global agency networks—thenetworkone and IPREX—as well as the 4A's, EMA has an estimated 2015 capitalized billings approaching $250 million.