Acquiring Toronto-based Gabriel PR was driven by a need to scale their business to compete more readily with other agencies and effectively service larger, more established clients and brands. “As a black-owned, female-led business, it’s challenging to scale on your own. Coming together has enabled us to provide our clients with a full range of expert services under one roof,” says Sandra Gabriel, Partner and President, PR & Communications.
“We believed that mergers and acquisitions were reserved for large corporations,” comments Ceruti, “but we were inspired by Master P’s keynote speech at the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Summit in Philadelphia, where we met Gabriel PR and started this journey.”
This acquisition was critical for 360aac as the first half of 2022 saw record growth within the marketing industry. “We saw 789 marketing industry deals, compared to the record-setting 571 deals in the first half of 2021. In order to stay relevant and viable, we needed to be larger and more specialized in key growth areas such as digital marketing, AI technology, metaverse marketing, public relations and crisis communications,” explains Vania Abdul-Badee, Co-Founder and CMO, “when considering our combined service offerings, we found very little duplication which allowed us to elevate to a true full-service advertising and communications agency.”
“Whether we’re working on advertising campaigns, branding, or design projects, our main goal is to develop the best strategy to help our clients succeed,” said Tamara Jones, President, 360 Bahamas. “Coming together and expanding across North America and The Bahamas allows us to take on clients in multiple markets and execute on an international scale.”
The 360 journey nearly saw its end during the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020 when one client after the other called in to terminate their contracts. It wasn’t until all contracts ended that they made the decision to apply for certifications that opened the doors to corporate and government contracts, making 2020 one of their most profitable years. Today, they have 7 active certifications.
Although the agency officially relaunched in August 2023, they have made headway in the market since coming together in July 2022 by speaking at the FutureProof conference in California and the NMSDC annual conference in New Orleans. “It has been incredibly busy, but gaining exposure through strategic partnerships and conferences has positioned us for success, and we are looking forward to the opportunities that lay ahead,” comments Ceruti.
360aac will be attending the NMSDC annual conference in Baltimore, MD from October 22-25, 2023.
About 360 Advertising & Communications (360aac)
Founded in 2016, 360 Advertising & Communications (formerly 360 Marketing & PR) is a full-service agency specializing in 360 marketing strategies, public relations and corporate communications. 360aac is on a mission to consistently deliver unmatched creative and client experiences and build long-term relationships based on trust and transparency.
Media Contact
Sandra Gabriel, 360 Advertising & Communications, 1 888-452-0080 205, [email protected], www.360mpr.com
SOURCE 360 Advertising & Communications
