Two well-known Portland, Ore., agencies are becoming one. Karakas VanSickle Ouellette Advertising & Public Relations (KVO) has agreed to purchase AKA Inc. Advertising & Sass. Terms of the sale, expected to be completed by Sept. 1, were undisclosed.
The purchase of AKA, an award-winning creative boutique with roughly $5 million in billings, signifies a commitment by KVO to extend beyond its high-tech roots, agency executives said. Billings for KVO, which claims to be the second-largest shop in the market, are now around $75 million.
"We're seeing a blending of consumer and technology accounts," said KVO principal Steve Karakas. "To stay ahead of the curve, we thought it appropriate to link with a creative shop like AKA."
Mike Doherty, AKA co-principal, said the union will give AKA access to larger reviews. The agency's 10 employees will move to KVO and will continue to serve AKA clients like the Portland Mitsubishi Dealers and Full Sail Brewing. Radioland, an AKA division run by co-principal Austin Howe, will become a separate production business.