Cyrk, Arnold to Unite?

By Judy Warner and David Gianatasio





BOSTON–Arnold Communications has signed a letter of intent to be bought by Cyrk, the publicly traded sales promotion company headquartered in Gloucester, Mass., sources said last week.





Although denied by the chief executive officers at both companies, agency and industry sources identified Cyrk as the nonadvertising company that has agreed to buy the $650 million ad agency (Adweek, May 12).





Barring any unforeseen stumbling blocks, these sources said, a deal uniting the two companies could be finalized within weeks.





Sixty-year-old Arnold chairman Ed Eskandarian has been candid about his desire to retire before turning 65 and cash out of the ad agency that in eight years he has built into the nation’s 21st largest.