To capitalize on recent business growth in space more suited for its growing digital capabilities, independent marketing communications agency, Jacobson Rost will move its headquarters from Sheboygan to Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward on May 1.
To capitalize on recent business growth in space more suited for its growing digital capabilities, independent marketing communications agency, marketing communications agency Jacobson Rost will move its headquarters from Sheboygan to Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward on May 1.
The move will bring 35 jobs to Milwaukee. The agency plans to add another five to 10 employees to its Milwaukee staff over the next 18 months, while continuing to grow its new Chicago and Boston offices with the addition of another 20 employees.
Jacobson Rost currently employs 55 creative and marketing professionals.
Located in loft space in the historic Saddlery Building at 233 N. Water St., Jacobson Rost will lease 10,000 square feet of office space. The new office space brings all employees together on one floor. It features an open-loft design converted from industrial space with bright skylights, natural hardwood floors and a brick-and- timber interior design inspired by the building’s original craftsmen tenants. Designed to promote creativity and transparency, the open-plan layout trades closed offices for collaborative work areas.
After more than five decades in Sheboygan, the agency sought new office space blending modern amenities with old-world charm at a more centralized location to serve its national and Midwestern client base.
“Milwaukee is a great city, with great creative and marketing talent,” says Jerry Flemma, president and chief operating officer for Jacobson Rost. “As we focus more of our agency growth outside the central U.S. region, finding a location that is easily accessible to transportation while still right in the heart of Wisconsin where we’ve honed our craft just makes sense.”
The Third Ward has become home to many Wisconsin advertising firms, creative boutiques and professional service agencies, due in part to the area’s thriving business amenities and focus on historic preservation, Flemma said.
BizTimes Media LLC is based in the Third Ward.
“Jacobson Rost has always had an appreciation for historic preservation, and we’re pleased to see the agency will be building on that foundation with new roots in the Third Ward,” said Ann Pieper, principal of Pieper Properties in Milwaukee. “They bring with them an excellent client roster and a talented marketing team, a great match with our current tenant base.”
Along with the headquarters move, Jacobson Rost unveils a new logo and website in keeping with its new brand development process, the addition of new digital services and a refreshed agency culture. The new brand mark features a version of the original “Crown J” logo created by Frank Jacobson when he founded the agency in 1957, but gives it a modern twist. The more simplified and interactive Jacobson Rost website promotes the agency’s growing digital capabilities, which will include an in-house digital production capability.
The agency represents leading national and regional brands, including Azteca Foods, BOSS Snowplow, Carl Buddig & Company, Clear Lam Packaging, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Federal Signal, Fisher Nuts, Kalahari Resorts, Killian’s Irish Red, the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, the Margaritaville Frozen Concoction Maker, Mercury Marine, MillerCoors, Old Wisconsin Food Products, Oster Professional Products, Society Insurance and Sunbeam.
