Consulting company ICF International, which purchased Minneapolis agency Olson for $295 million back in 2014, is now branding its marketing services as ICF Olson.
“In unifying these capabilities, we’re answering an urgent demand in the marketplace,” ICF CEO Sudhakar Kesavan told Adweek. “There are many technology-focused providers who work well with CTOs and CIOs, and many creative agencies that excel at creative-and communications-oriented solutions, but ICF Olson is the rare agency that truly excels at both.”
In addition to Olson, other ICF-owned agencies, including IronWorks and CityTech, will be absorbed under the ICF Olson banner. All told, ICF Olson will include some 800 employees across 14 offices in the U.S., Canada and India, with clients including MillerCoors, Wrigley, Hyatt, Bauer and Amtrak. Adweek reports that ICF Olson will include four distinct units: Olson will handle digital and advertising services; Olson Engage, PR and social media; ICF Olson 1to1, loyalty, CRM; and ICF Olson, digital and technology-enabled solutions.
ICF Olson’s leadership team includes Margaret Murphy, who will serve as president of Olson and ICF Olson; Olson Engage president Bryan Specht; Matthew Van Bergen, president of digital solutions; chief growth officer Michael Brown, senior vice president Eric Hudgens and chief talent officer Kevin Hansen.
The move marks the latest advertising push from a consulting firm, following news yesterday of Deloitte Digital’s purchase of San Francisco full-service agency Heat and IBM’s recent acquisition spree.
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