SAN FRANCISCO: Huntsworth has acquired Connecting Point Communications, a San Francisco-based tech boutique, and merged it with Citigate Cunningham.
Both Gary Thompson, who joined as chairman of Citigate Cunningham last year, and Chris Boehlke, Connecting Point CEO, will continue in their leadership roles and operate the new agency as partners. They declined to disclose the financials around the deal but said the combined agency now makes about $3 million in revenues and both agencies made about half that amount prior to the acquisition.
The UK-based holding company opted to buy Connecting Point for its client roster, which includes computer product maker Kensington, online puzzle maker Tetris, and Jitterbug cell phones.
“The acquisition gives us b-to-c expertise,” Thompson said, noting that Citigate Cunningham was primarily a b-to-b agency. The new entity has about 20 full-time staff members.
Huntsworth recently streamlined its brands and is keeping the global brand Citigate for its financial and public affairs properties. To avoid confusion with that name, Citigate Cunningham will now take on the Connecting Point moniker and become part of Huntsworth's more generalist Grayling brand.
“We have a lot of clients interested in international reach,” Boehlke said. “Grayling offers that network and 25% of its business is in technology so the expertise is there.”
With the name change, the agency drops its legacy to Andy Cunningham, who famously sold her agency, Cunningham Communications, to Incepta in 2000, which later merged with Huntsworth in 2005.
“Andy hasn't been a part of the organization for a long time and we didn't see any particular advantage of having that name associated with the firm anymore,” Thompson said.
