Mergers and acquisitions are accelerating across the communications industry. Global networks are consolidating, mid-sized agencies are looking to expand their reach and specialist firms are seeking new capabilities through partnerships. As these deals proliferate, one question continues to arise: how do you combine without losing what made your agency unique in the first place?
It’s not an idle concern. Research shows that many M&A deals underperform because of cultural misalignment. A Q3 2024 Boston Consulting Group study found that more than half of transactions fail to deliver the expected value, often because employee morale dips during integration. McKinsey has also argued that culture and communication are central to successful mergers, not afterthoughts. For PR agencies, where relationships, creativity and trust are the product, these dynamics matter even more.
We know this firsthand. Earlier this year, our agencies combined forces: rbb Communications, an integrated communications firm with a strong national footprint, and UPRAISE Marketing + PR, a San Francisco–based agency with deep B2B tech expertise. While our motivations mirrored many others in the industry—greater scale, broader capabilities and stronger client offerings—the lessons we learned go beyond our own story. They apply to any agency navigating consolidation.
Preserve Culture and Brand Identity
Culture is the lifeblood of a PR agency. It’s not just about how employees feel; it’s how clients experience the firm day to day. One of the most common fears in a merger is that identity will be diluted, leaving teams disengaged and clients unsure if they are still working with the partner they signed up with.
The key is to establish non-negotiables before the deal is signed. Which traditions, values or approaches define your agency? What promises do you want to ensure clients continue to hear and see? For us, entrepreneurial spirit and autonomy were central. Protecting those principles gave both teams a sense of continuity even as we evolved into something bigger.
Other agencies can benefit from doing this upfront work. Waiting until after integration to address culture risks confusion and attrition. Instead, map what must remain intact, communicate it widely and demonstrate it in tangible ways through client interactions, leadership decisions and internal rituals.
Build Structures for Collaboration
While culture is about spirit, collaboration is about mechanics. Simply telling teams to “work together” isn’t enough. Integration requires scaffolding. We found value in setting up intentional structures: cross-office account teams, shared training sessions and joint leadership meetings that reinforced collaboration rather than leaving it to chance.
Transparency is also critical. Employees want to know how accounts will be staffed, who will own relationships and how performance will be measured. When those questions go unanswered, uncertainty grows. Agencies considering a merger should invest early in clear communication and codified processes, even if they evolve later.
The payoff is significant. Clients quickly see the added value of integrated teams while employees gain clarity on where they fit in the new environment.
Balance Specialization and Scale
Clients today expect both niche expertise and broad reach. A small boutique agency may bring deep specialization, but clients often want the reassurance of scale. Larger firms can deliver geographic reach or service breadth, but may lack the tailored knowledge clients seek. Mergers can bridge this gap if they’re managed thoughtfully.
The best integrations don’t erase specialization. They showcase it as part of a broader offering. In our case, UPRAISE’s B2B tech focus paired naturally with rbb’s strength in general B2B, energy, and consumer sectors. Rather than trying to homogenize, we positioned these capabilities as complementary. That framing reassured clients that they weren’t losing what they valued; they were gaining more.
Agencies weighing a merger should ask: how do our strengths extend rather than compete with each other? The clearer the answer, the stronger the combined value proposition.
Practical Lessons for Agencies
Looking back, several practical lessons stand out that can help other PR firms navigating M&A:
- Define objectives beyond the financials. Clarify your goals for autonomy, branding and team structure as part of negotiations.
- Do deep due diligence. Look beyond financials to client work, employee sentiment and past acquisition history.
- Engage trusted advisors. Legal and business consultants familiar with the PR industry can protect your interests without rushing the deal.
- Plan for the people side. Culture and client communication should be priorities from day one, not secondary considerations.
- Pace the integration. The decision on integration speed is one that requires careful thought. Some changes like back-office consolidation can wait until teams have adapted to new structures. Whereas other changes like new benefits will be a priority.
These steps won’t guarantee success, but they significantly increase the odds of building a stronger and more unified agency.
About the authors:
Christine Barney is CEO of rbb Communications, where she counsels leading B2B and B2C brands on change management, thought leadership and brand development. Known for her employee-driven philosophy, she has built rbb into a nationally recognized firm, honored repeatedly as Agency of the Year and a Best Place to Work.
Tim Johnson is president of UPRAISE Marketing + PR, a modern B2B communications agency known for delivering measurable media and analyst results. With more than 30 years of experience, he has led global practices at top firms and guided clients from startups to Fortune 500 companies through complex communications and growth challenges.
