Evalla Advises OKRP on Merger with Barkley
Leading independent agencies Barkley and OKRP have merged to become BarkleyOKRP. This new entity combines two of the fastest-growing agencies in the country, both with proven track records for creating work that sparks with consumers and drives out-sized results for clients. With more than 650 employees across five offices in Chicago, Kansas City, Denver, New York and Pittsburgh, BarkleyOKRP is now one of the largest independent agencies in the country.
Evalla Advisors acted as lead strategic M&A advisor to OKRP on the transaction.
“In a world where the choice is often ‘big holding company’ or ‘small independent,’ BarkleyOKRP provides an alternative that marries the best of both worlds. We affectionately call it ‘big indie,’” said Jeff King, CEO of Barkley, who retains that role in the new agency. “OKRP has built a creative powerhouse and Barkley, in addition to its own award-winning creative product, has built a foundation of modern consumer expertise. Combined, BarkleyOKRP clients will receive the very best of strategy and creativity in an agency that has broad capabilities and significant scale.”
“Barkley’s operation and leadership were instantly impressive – but what really locked this partnership is our mutual belief that our business is about selling and winning over the consumer, unapologetically,” explained Tom O’Keefe, CEO of OKRP who will become Creative Chairman of the merged shop. “We embrace the fact that we are not the same agency when it comes to offerings; that our differences, now combined, make us both better.”
BarkleyOKRP’s combined client roster now includes Metro by T-Mobile, Burger King, Planet Fitness, Motel 6, Premier Protein and AMC, among many others. Both agencies are known for successfully competing on the national stage for major brands and attracting and retaining world-class talent. The combined agency will be led by a diverse and tenured executive leadership team comprised of discipline heads from both companies.
Evalla Advises Red Tettemer O'Connell + Partners on Strategic Acquisition by Mod Op
Evalla Advisors acted as exclusive strategic M&A advisor to RTO+P on the transaction.
“Client demands are changing quickly,” explained Eric J Bertrand, CEO of Mod Op. “Brands need more than data to be successful. They must be able to apply creative thinking to leading-edge insights to generate breakthrough strategies and campaigns. The addition of RTO+P expands our creative capital and empowers clients to realize the full value of their digital investment.”
RTO+P founder Steve Red explained, “We’ve always been driven by our mission to “Be Unforgettable” and a culture that’s restless to find new ways to make ideas come to life. And to combine Mod Op’s tech, data and AI superchargers to our creative approach is the perfect match for where the advertising and marketing world is headed.”
The acquisition of RTO+P also reinforces Mod Op’s commitment to blending human creativity and technology at a time when many agencies are looking to AI alone to drive results. RTO+P will serve as the agency’s creative engine, complementing Mod Op’s sophisticated data science, digital services and AI capabilities, and further establishing Mod Op as the marketing agency that merges domains to unlock transformational growth for clients. With RTO+P’s inventive mindset and deep well of creative talent, Mod Op will achieve a new level of data-driven creativity, ultimately delivering more resonant brand ideas that drive results for clients and give them an unfair advantage in the marketplace.