Moroch Partners to Acquire and Shutter MEplusYOU

By Patrick Coffee 

moroch partners

Dallas-based independent communications/marketing agency Moroch Partners announced today that it has acquired “interactive digital and social marketing agency” MEplusYOU, another Dallas area shop that was one of two properties owned by holding company Agencies of Change. The former agency will now absorb all of MEplusYOU’s operations.

Founded in 1995 as imc2, MEplusYOU changed its name in 2012 in what then-president Marc Blumberg described as “…a reflection of a decade-long evolution in which we’ve established a reputation for our ability to authentically connect brands with people to build trust and transactions.” (Blumberg left the following year to run children’s shoe company Chooze, which he co-founded with his wife.)

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In explaining the acquisition, Moroch CEO Rob Boswell writes:

“We’ve been committed to leading our clients through the many challenges facing brands in today’s changing marketing environment, especially within the realm of digital media…In order for us to continue being at the forefront, we need to broaden our set of skills and align ourselves with like-minded innovators, such as MEplusYOU. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome them to our family.”

In other words, they wanted to strengthen their social media practice.

MEplusYOU founder/CEO Doug Levy (who is also the CEO of Agencies of Change and recently-launched rent-your-stuff startup TapGoods) adds, “We’re thrilled to be joining Moroch, who not only shares our core beliefs but also our independent spirit and our commitment to continuing to innovate on behalf of our clients.”

Moving forward, Levy will be senior strategic partner at Moroch, where he will be “providing counsel to its board.” President Colin Turney, formerly of Agency.com and iCrossing, will assume the role of executive partner.

As part of the agreement, MEplusYOU will transfer “its current client roster” and an unspecified number of employees to Moroch’s offices; we hear that current staffers have been given a choice between joining the new shop or interviewing for positions at “a smaller spin-off.” At the time of the acquisition, MEplusYOU’s client list included Haggar, Mary Kay, Omni Hotels & Resorts and Wells Fargo, among others.

Changes had been brewing at MEplusYOU for some time. In March, the shop’s creative leader Renee McKeon left for a position as ECD and head of UX at nearby WPP agency Bottle Rocket, and Jason Shipp (formerly of Hill Holliday and Tribal DDB) was promoted to group creative director. McKeon’s departure followed those of CSO Mark McKinney (who spent 9 months with TM Advertising and now serves as SVP of marketing at ad tech company Valtech), SVP Tim Rumpler (now CMO/SVP at TM)Rahul Purini (CTO at “independent entertainment studio” G1200 Media) and Melynnie Nehib (currently project consultant at Agency Oasis). The latter two executives both went to Razorfish last year, but neither lasted more than 12 months there.

This is only the latest in a series of expansion moves made by Moroch this year. In June, Donald Pierce–formerly senior director of business and consumer insights at McDonald’s–joined the agency to help lead the account of his now-former employer. In August, the group bought a minority stake in “cross-cultural marketing communications agency” LimeGreen, which then became LimeGreen Moroch; that shop’s clients included McDonald’s, Kia and Discover.

Most recently, Moroch was named media AOR for Six Flags, which had been with IPG’s BPN.

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