NEW BORDERS By Jim Kirk with Kathy Tyre

Foote, Cone & Belding Communications is said to be working on a deal to acquire creative boutique Borders, Perrin & Norrander - a $40-million shop based in Portland, Ore.

Sources said that although no deal has been signed, Foote, Cone officials have been in ‘deep discussions’ with executives of the Northwest firm to acquire the agency outright.
Although FCB has said it is interested in setting up a second network to expand its client base, possibly through its Publicis unit based in N.Y. (ADWEEK, June 21), apparently Borders is not a part of that plan, and may only be a regional free-standing acquisition with no plans to consolidate with any other FCB agency.
Although details are sketchy, if acquired, the agency would most likely report in to FCB/West and FCB president Jack Balousek. Both Balousek and FCB executive vp/operations North America Jack Boland are said to be involved in the negotiations.
Observers say FCB may be looking to expand its creative presence in the Northwest. The acquisition would be similar to what other major agency networks have completed in the past. For example, Omnicom tapped into the creative base in the West last year when it acquired Goodby, Berlin, & Silverstein and earlier this year with Merkley Newman Harty in New York, operations which remain free-standing.
Borders gained national creative acclaim in the mid-’80s through its then-flagship Avia athletic footwear account. While it has continued to pick up creative awards for local clients as well as for the nationally sold Columbia Sportswear, it has failed to maintain the momentum achieved by its archrival Wieden & Kennedy.
Insiders said that FCB has cleared all possible conflict hurdles with its current clients, including Levi’s, which is handled out of FCB/S.F.
Bill Borders, president and director of creative services, was unavailable. Pete Hatt, chairman of Borders, Perrin said, ‘We’ve had some discussions with them, they’ve been off and on for some time, but nothing is decided and no deal has been reached.’
An FCB spokesperson acknowledged the talks but said no deal had been struck.
Copyright Adweek L.P. (1993)