Management at Weyforth-Haas Marketing and Bennett Kuhn Varner (BKV) of Atlanta, GA., have announced a merger of the two agencies.
The new company has more than 200 employees and is comprised of three divisions: Weyforth-Haas Marketing, a full-service integrated marketing communications division in Overland Park; BKV, a full-service direct response division in Atlanta; and Response Mine, a search engine marketing division in Atlanta.
The combined capabilities of the agencies will deliver a unique mix of services attuned to today’s new marketing environment that few other agencies can deliver, according to Kelley Haas, chairman of the new combined company.
“Together, we have experienced specialists in the most critical fields of marketing,” Haas said. “Our two companies have similar business philosophies and our services are complementary — as one company, we can offer a truly powerful package to our clients.”
The merger is a natural evolution of the positive, long-term relationship between the companies, said Barb Murphy, president, Weyforth-Haas Marketing. “We’ve already seen great success as informal partners in a few current client relationships, as well as on new business opportunities,” she said. “It’s rare to find such highly compatible cultures, work ethics, and skill sets.”
The company’s board of directors will be comprised of Haas; Murphy; Rick Skaggs, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the new combined company; Brent Kuhn, president of the new combined company; and Maribett Varner, president of BKV.
Ken Robbins continues as president of Response Mine. Agency leadership will remain the same—the transition will be virtually seamless to employees and clients but will maximize the strength of each division, according to Kuhn.
“Each entity involved in this merger brings unique strengths and incredible talent,” Varner said. “As a whole, we’ll be able to do even better work for our combined client roster.”