Hotwire PR Acquires Eastwick Communications To Strengthen US Presence

Hotwire PR, the global PR and communications consultancy, today announced it has acquired Eastwick Communications, an award-winning technology communications agency.

This investment fuels Hotwire’s ambition to offer a truly global client and employee centred alternative to behemoth multinationals. This acquisition further strengthens Hotwire’s reach and expertise as a large multinational with the service ethos and deep connections that only a local agency can offer. The investment for the acquisition came from Hotwire’s parent company, Enero Group Limited (ASX: EGG), a boutique network of marketing and communications businesses.

Both Barbara Bates and Heather Kernahan of Eastwick will remain in their roles as CEO, North America and President respectively within the new Hotwire US business, overseeing offices in both San Francisco and New York. Barbara will report into Hotwire’s Global CEO Brendon Craigie. All leadership team members from Hotwire and Eastwick remain in place. Together, the new team brings Hotwire’s headcount in the US to 70, 42 in San Francisco and 28 in New York.

Founded in 1991, this year Eastwick celebrated its 25^th anniversary. The company has continued to innovate with programs such as its CMO-in-residence and the addition of its Digital Brand Lab. Eastwick has been widely recognized and awarded as a premier technology agency for clients ranging from startups to the world’s largest enterprises. In 2015, Eastwick received the 2015 North America Technology Agency of the Year award and has twice been recognized on the Inc. 5,000 fastest growing companies, this year ranking 4,053 on the list.

“We are focused on helping clients seize the global digital and technology opportunity, and working towards our vision to build the best agency you’ll ever work with,” said Brendon Craigie, Global CEO, Hotwire PR.

“Joining forces with Eastwick will catapult Hotwire into the top ten of technology PR agencies in the US. Not only will this give us insider access to the technology hub of the world, but it will also put a big bold question mark against the traditional multinational PR agency model.”

“I’ve always had huge respect for Hotwire’s work and the award-winning reputation that it has across the world. Joining with Hotwire will allow us to multiply the impact of our creative thinking, helping our clients to accelerate their reputation and growth not only in North America, but across the globe,” said Barbara Bates, newly appointed CEO, North America, Hotwire PR.

This acquisition opens up huge opportunities in North American, EMEA and APAC markets with the additional reach, expertise and close relationship between all Hotwire offices. For clients, this means that Hotwire can better support their ambitions of global expansion, from North America out to EMEA and APAC and vice-versa. This positions Hotwire as the communications agency that can scale for clients to support their business ambitions beyond home countries, while still retaining detailed local knowledge and experience.

The agencies have been partners for more than a decade. Synergies between them already existed with both companies investing heavily in the creation of their own Digital Brand Labs teams to drive integrated communications programs. Adding Eastwick’s Brand Labs team to Hotwire adds US specialists across a range of services including insights and analytics, brand messaging and creative services to content marketing, website development, SEO/SEM, demand generation and nurture campaigns.

“Hotwire and Eastwick have been great independently, and now we’re going to be even stronger than ever. We are all committed to this shared vision that will ultimately deliver against our brand promise: to be the best agency you’ll ever work with,” ended Craigie.

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