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Deal Makes
Hispanic Ad Agency in Coral Gables No. 1 in U.S.
FLORIDA (By Jeffery D. Zbar, Sun Sentinel) February 25, 2007 — Fausto Sánchez never imagined the
agency he created with business partner Aida Levitan back in 1986 would become
the largest Hispanic advertising shop in the United States.
But Monday's news that Publicis Sánchez & Levitan had merged with sister agency
Bromley Communications of San Antonio, put the Coral Gables agency on top of a
growing demographic. Chances are, the agency's growth isn't done yet.
"This really makes us a large player within the Hispanic scope, and could
present many more opportunities for growth," said Sánchez, who becomes executive
creative director and executive vice president of the agency, now renamed
Bromley Communications.
Before the merger, Publicis Sánchez & Levitan had been the nation's
seventh-largest Hispanic agency in 2002 with revenues of $12.2 million,
according to Advertising Age magazine's 2007 Agency Report. Top clients include
Nestle, Chivas Regal and BellSouth. Bromley billings topped $17.7 million, Ad
Age reported, with clients including Burger King, Coors Brewing Co. and
Continental Airlines. The next-largest Hispanic agency now, according to the
report, is The Bravo Group, a division of Young & Rubicam, with 2002 revenues of
$27.9 million.
Thoughts of a merger began in late 2002, when Levitan and Bromley Chairman and
CEO Ernest Bromley chatted at a meeting of the Association of Hispanic
Advertising Agencies. The two agencies were both owned in part by Paris-based
Publicis Groupe. By last October, the two executives had created a business plan
for merging their operations. In November, they presented the plan to Susan
Gianinno, Publicis USA's chairwoman and CEO, and John Farrell, president and CEO
of Publicis' specialty advertising and marketing services unit.
With no client conflicts and strong synergies between Sánchez & Levitan's
creative, grassroots and promotional specialties, and Bromley's strong creative
and research capabilities, Gianinno approved the merger.
"This brings together our holistic approach to marketing," said Levitan, who
becomes vice chairwoman and chief communications officer of Bromley
Communications and president of the Miami office. "Publicis is not obsessed with
advertising. They look at consumers to see which channels of communications most
effectively work with the target consumers."
The merger also grows the number of offices under the Bromley marquee. Sánchez &
Levitan brings 75 employees with offices in Coral Gables, New York, Dallas and
Los Angeles, to Bromley's 80 employees in its San Antonio office. The addition
of Miami brings a more South American and Caribbean flavor to the agency's
employee base, she said. While layoffs aren't expected, Levitan said some
workers likely will choose to leave.
The merger will strengthen the media buying capabilities and power of the larger
firm, Bromley said.
"This just furthers our media group's buying capacity, strength, negotiations
and added values for our clients," he said.
As for Sánchez, he's anticipating even more growth, especially as Hispanic
influence grows among American consumers, government and business.
"Growth tends to occur quickly during mergers and acquisitions," he said.
"America's been changing. It's more culturally diverse every day. Now there's
another large agency like we've become that will contend with this huge growth
of Hispanics in American society."
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