Svoboda Capital Partners has made an investment in Bully Pulpit Interactive to finance the acquisition by Bully Pulpit of The Incite Agency.
Bully Pulpit Interactive (BPI) is a digital marketing agency providing advertising, full service digital campaigns, testing and analytics to Fortune 1000 companies, political groups, and non-profit organizations. The company was founded in 2009 and has over 90 full-time employees. BPI is headquartered in Washington DC with additional offices in New York and Chicago (www.bpimedia.com).
With the addition of the Incite team, BPI will be able to expand its service offerings to include message development, strategic communications plus crisis and reputation management.
“Digital is no longer a service offering – it is the foundation of modern communications. While our industry’s typical approach is for traditional firms to bolt on digital services, we are inverting the model and truly breaking down barriers,” said Andrew Bleeker, President of Bully Pulpit Interactive. “Our partnership with Svoboda Capital will provide the tools to best serve our clients by becoming their ‘first chair’ counselor. This begins with the addition of The Incite Agency.”
The Incite Agency was founded in 2013 by Ben LaBolt and Robert Gibbs and has offices in Washington DC and New York. Mr. Gibbs was President Obama’s White House Press Secretary from 2009 to 2011. Today, he is the Executive Vice President and Global Chief Communications Officer of McDonalds.
“BPI is one the most innovative and data-driven marketing agencies in the country,” said John Svoboda, a Managing Director of Svoboda Capital. “By partnering with BPI and Incite, we intend to preserve their great cultures, and provide the capital and support to help expand their footprint and further enhance their already great reputations.”
Svoboda Capital invests from $10 million to $20 million in business services, value-added distribution, and consumer products companies that have revenues from $10 million to $100 million and EBITDAs from $3 million to $15 million. The firm was founded in 1998 and has over $300 million of capital under management. Svoboda Capital is based in Chicago (www.svoco.com).
New York-based investment bank AdMedia Partners was the financial advisor to Bully Pulpit Interactive. “The team at AdMedia were great partners from day one. Their depth of knowledge of the digital marketing landscape helped us find a solution that advanced both our business and our culture,” said Mr. Bleeker.
© 2016 Private Equity Professional • 9-20-16
