Small Agencies Plan Strategies

Small shops find themselves working harder and smarter to stay competitive as the new-business doldrums drag on and large agencies increasingly target modest accounts.

Executives at 15-person Wallwork & Curry, Boston, buffeted of late by client losses and few account gains, chose to sell to Glastonbury, Conn.-based Cronin & Co. [Adweek, July 23].

Combining Wallwork & Curry’s healthcare and financial expertise with Cronin’s more integrated offering (direct mail, public relations) makes the resulting entity more than the sum of its parts, said Bob Curry, managing director/executive creative director of the shop’s Boston operations.

Such a move, of course, is not an option for all small players.