New York, Feb. 2, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Peppercom, a strategic communications firm, announced today its acquisition of H2O Associates, a leading interactive and creative services agency. Both are headquartered here. The acquisition significantly expands Peppercom’s interactive and creative service offerings and positions the firm as an integrated communications solutions provider.
"The H2O acquisition enables us to expand the depth and breadth of our end-to-end strategic communications solutions and better manage the rapid growth of our digital marketing and social media practice," said Edward Moed, managing partner and co-founder of Peppercom. "It also highlights our ability to anticipate marketplace needs and continually refine and upgrade our traditional public relations suite of services." Peppercom launched the PR industry’s first licensing division, Brand Squared, in 2009 and also offers a suite of specialized services in the mobile, sales, events and sustainability arenas.
H2O was founded by Jason Dodd more than 20 years ago. The award-winning firm’s eight professionals serve a variety of clients in the business-to-business and business-to-consumer sectors. Specific expertise includes: publishing, health care, financial services and consumer products. H2O will retain its name. Dodd and his team will be the catalysts driving Peppercom’s existing creative services division.
"We’re thrilled to become a part of Peppercom and deliver a significantly expanded scope of services for our clients," said Dodd, who has been named creative director and a member of Peppercom’s management committee. He reports to agency president Ted Birkhahn. "Peppercom’s strengths matched ours. And, their culture was a perfect fit. Together, we intend to deliver on Peppercom’s brand promise of ‘understanding the business of our client’s business’ in even deeper and more meaningful ways," added Dodd.
Steve Cody, Peppercom’s co-founder and managing partner added: "In our 15 years of business, Peppercom has never had a more gifted or diverse group of strategic communications professionals. Nor have we had the wherewithal to truly match a large holding company’s varied service offerings point-for-point. The H2O acquisition is a game changer that has already resulted in a significant expansion of new and existing client relationships."
About Peppercom
Peppercom, Inc. is a strategic communications firm headquartered in New York, with offices in San Francisco and London, which focuses on understanding the business of a client's business. In addition to being a full service public relations firm, Peppercom’s non-traditional service offerings include: PepperDigital, helping clients integrate emerging media tools with traditional communications; PepperCommotions, the in-house strategic events and sponsorships division; and GreenPepper, helping clients develop and communicate sustainability strategies to key stakeholders. Peppercom is a finalist for PR Week’s 2010 Mid-Sized Agency of the Year and is currently ranked number 25 on a national industry list by PRWeek. Information about the agency may be found at .
CONTACT: April Reading 415.633.3225 areading@peppercom.com