Milwaukee-based marketing firm
Zizzo Group has acquired a Milwaukee-based competitor,
Celtic Inc.
As part of the deal, announced Thursday, Zizzo Group will absorb the Celtic brand name. Starting Jan. 2, Celtic will relocate its seven employees from its office in the city's Third Ward to Zizzo Group's new headquarters in the Walker's Point neighborhood. That includes partners
Brian Meehan and
Kurt Lingel, who will now serve as Zizzo Group's vice president of public relations and vice president of marketing, respectively.
Meehan and Lingel bought Celtic Inc. in 2005 from company founders Martha Smith and Marlene Byrne.
Founded just three years apart -- Celtic in 1992 and Zizzo Group in 1995 -- the firms have long considered themselves competitors in the local market, offering a similar suite of marketing-communication services and serving clients within some of the same industry sectors. It was ultimately their competitive relationship and similarities -- in target markets, core competencies, cultures and commitment to southeastern Wisconsin -- that made for a "natural fit," said
Anne Zizzo, founder and chief executive officer of Zizzo Group.
Realizing their shared vision, the companies forged a deal that came together "quickly and effortlessly," Zizzo Group said in news release.
For Celtic, teaming up with a competing firm means it would have even more to offer its existing client base, thanks to Zizzo Group's in-house website development, video production and media buying practices.
"Coming together with Zizzo Group is a natural move that provides expanded services and depth to our clients, and will allow me the opportunity to help advance a larger organization,” said Meehan. “Joining forces with Zizzo Group is transforming Celtic into a powerful and innovative new kind of shop."
The now-combined company employs a total of 28 people and offers a wider range of services, including research, branding, digital marketing, SEO, website and application development, social media, public relations, paid media, creative, content creation, immersive and experiential, analytics and measurement as well as in-house studio services.
The purchase of Celtic Inc. marks Zizzo Group's seventh acquisition in its 28 years in business. Moreover, it's one of several strategic moves the agency has made in the past year since the launch of its new Walker’s Point headquarters. The firm moved its office from the Third Ward into the 157-year-old, 12,200-square-foot building, located 131 S. 1st St., in fall 2022 following a major
$3.5 million renovation project.
“The acquisition of high performance, founder-owned complimentary firms is one of our key growth strategies,” said Zizzo. “Redeveloping our new, leading-edge headquarters was the first step in positioning Zizzo Group as a hub for like-minded founders to join forces and take their companies to the next level."
As part of this momentum, the company secured
Skilos, A Family Pet Store as a tenant for its headquarters building. The Milwaukee-based, family-owned business
opened its new store -- and second location -- earlier this month in the 3,600-square-foot ground-floor retail space that sits below Zizzo Group's offices.
"We are thrilled to continue activating our new location which is directly on the shared property lines of Walker’s Point and the Historic Third Ward, serving as the gateway to both neighborhoods," said Zizzo. "And to move this rapidly into the next phase of our vision for Zizzo Group to be the preeminent digital marketing firm in the Midwest.”
Celtic joins an assortment of local communications firms Zizzo Group has acquired over the years, including Schulhoff-Walsh and Associates, Northern Sky, Circle Midwest, EXCITE New Media, Clear Verve and Thirsty Boy. And that list could continue growing: Zizzo said she continues to have conversations with founders and leaders of other "complementary companies."
"We’ll invite others to join forces if they are the right fit," she said.
[caption id="attachment_578043" align="aligncenter" width="768"]
The ground floor retail space of Zizzo Group's headquarters building in Walker's Point, now occupied by Skilos.[/caption]
