JHG Buys Townsend, Merges Marketing and PR Functions

Marketing technology company Jayne Hancock Group (JHG) has acquired public relations firm Townsend Inc., for an undisclosed sum. The merged entity, called JHG-Townsend, aims to serve its clientele of technology firms by blending PR with digital and traditional marketing services that take into account changes in the way consumers digest information and make purchase decisions.

“Marketing, public relations and communications need to merge and work together,” said Jayne Hancock, president and CEO of JHG-Townsend and founder of the Jayne Hancock Group.

The companies’ decision to merge was driven by the proliferation of new devices and media formats which has forced PR firms to extend their focus from traditional media outlets to include blogging, digital video and mobile environments. Traditional marketing firms meanwhile have increasingly concerned themselves with the buzz and word of mouth process that’s historically been filed under public relations.

“We’re trying to stay ahead of the game. For the next ten years those that are really going to have the breakthrough communications are going to understand all those communications,” said Jackie Townsend Konstanturos, the founder of Townsend and now executive vice president of JHG-Townsend. “We’ve been blessed, because we serve a technology market, to be able to see the trends before they come.”

Both firms are headquartered in the San Diego area, and JHG also has offices in Chicago and Toronto. Townsend’s client list has included companies like QUALCOMM, National University, Toshiba, ARM, Continuous Computing, Sequoia Communications, The Rady School, Vidacare, while JHG’s marketing clients have included Comcast, Rogers Communications, Cox Communications, MediaFLO USA and MediaFLO Technologies, Muttropolis, CFL Toronto Argonauts and SponsorHouse.com.

The merged company will maintain offices in Sorrento Mesa, Ca.