JEGI Represents Group SJR in Sale to WPP
New York, NY June 25, 2013 Hill+Knowlton Strategies, a wholly owned subsidiary of WPP, announced today that it has acquired Group SJR. Group SJR develops and creates digital content enabling marketers to build brands and cultivate audiences.
The Jordan, Edmiston Group, Inc. (www.jegi.com) of New York, NY, the leading independent investment bank for the media, information, marketing, and technology sectors, represented Group SJR in this transaction and acted as its exclusive financial advisor.
“As more and more companies seek a new solution that bridges the strengths of public relations and marketing to meet their strategic goals, many are turning to the power of branded and owned digital content,” said Jack Martin, global chairman and CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies. “Our outstanding strategic, digital, content and creative capabilities are already true differentiators for the firm. Welcoming Group SJR to the H+K family, as specialists in building audiences through great content, bolsters and complements our existing digital storytelling expertise and provides vast opportunity for both firms and our clients.”
Founded in 2004, Group SJR is a marketing communications firm with offices in New York and Los Angeles. The firm represents such organizations as Dell, GE, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), TED and Xerox, among others.
“The greatest challenge — and opportunity — marketers and communicators face today is audience: how to get it, keep it and build it,” said Group SJR Managing Partner Alexander Jutkowitz, who takes on the additional title of vice chairman and chief global strategist of H+K Strategies. “Digital content — original, daily and owned — gives companies and brands the power to tell their story, share their unique knowledge and find and engage the right audiences as never before. Joining H+K provides our 50-strong team the chance to find, share and engage on a global scale, while working alongside other incredibly talented people and supporting H+K’s approach to digital storytelling. We’re thrilled at the prospect.”
The H+K Digital team has built a strong foundation of digital marketing, storytelling and branded content creation. The partnership with SJR expands H+K Digital’s existing capabilities and services, including its “Layered Narrative” digital storytelling platform, “Flight School” online crisis simulator and upcoming StoryPlanner tool for planning and distributing brand content across paid, earned, owned and shared channels. The partnership also provides additional staff needed to grow existing client engagements and win new ones. And H+K immediately provides Group SJR with a diverse client mix and global reach.
About Group SJR
Group SJR is a digital consultancy specializing in insights, content creation, curation and audience development. SJR works with the world’s leading corporations, organizations and institutions to shape and share their unique knowledge through custom content strategies. The firm is headquartered in New York. For more information, visit www.groupsjr.com.
About Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Inc. is a leading international communications consultancy, providing services to local, multinational and global clients. The firm is headquartered in New York, with 90 offices in 52 countries, as well as an extensive associate network. The agency is part of WPP, the world’s largest communications services group. For more information, visit www.hkstrategies.com.
About WPP
WPP is the world’s largest communications services group with billings of $70.5 billion and revenues of $16.5 billion. Through its operating companies, the Group provides a comprehensive range of advertising and marketing services including advertising & media investment management; data investment management; public relations and public affairs; branding and identity; healthcare and specialist communications, including direct, digital and interactive. The company employs over 165,000 people (including associates) in over 3,000 offices across 110 countries. For more information, visit www.wpp.com.
About The Jordan, Edmiston Group, Inc.
The Jordan, Edmiston Group, Inc. (JEGI) of New York, the leading independent investment bank for the media, information, marketing and technology sectors, celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2012. Since 1987, JEGI has completed more than 500 high‐profile M&A transactions for global corporations; middle-market and emerging companies; entrepreneurial owners; and private equity and venture capital firms. For more information, visit www.jegi.com.
“The JEGI team offers the perfect balance of professionalism, expertise and most importantly – outside the box thinking. They understood our firm’s goals and what makes our offering unique, and kept our best interests at hand. As they guided our transaction, JEGI proved to be our most passionate and insightful advocates. I think of the team not just as business partners, but as friends and true partners.”
– Alex Jutkowitz, Managing Partner, Group SJR