High Road Capital Partners Acquires Ariad Communications to Combine with Bluespire Marketing

Ariad’s Michael Beckerman to become CEO of the combined North American agency

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Toronto-based Ariad Communications is pleased to announce a partnership with Bluespire Marketing, a 130-person strategic marketing firm based in the U.S. Ariad is a strategic agency specializing in serving Canadian clients with deep content, digital and activation capabilities. Bluespire provides a variety of strategic marketing, technology and content solutions for U.S.-based organizations in highly regulated industries.

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“Many of Ariad’s clients have asked us about having a U.S. presence to support their business. We have also been looking to expand in the U.S. as our healthcare expertise and direct-to-consumer strategies lend very well to the U.S. marketplace. This combination will allow Ariad’s founder, Hugh Furneaux, who retired 9 years ago, to formally exit the business knowing that the cultural and philosophical approach he helped establish would be maintained. It’s a win for our clients, our employees, and the markets we serve,” states Mike Beckerman, President of Ariad, who will become CEO of the combined entities.

High Road Capital Partners [HRCP] is the majority owner of Bluespire Marketing and has deep expertise in the marketing services space. HRCP will be acquiring Ariad from majority owner Hugh Furneaux to create the partnership.

Ariad, founded in 1989, will retain its name in Canada. Bluespire will continue to operate under its brands in the U.S.

“Like Ariad, Bluespire has deep capabilities in content, strategy and digital marketing. Bluespire specializes in serving highly regulated industries and has a strong technology infrastructure to deliver personalized consumer engagement,” says Tyler Norenberg, President of Bluespire Marketing—Healthcare and Financial Markets. “Our shared expertise in healthcare and financial services along with Ariad’s expanded capabilities in consumer packaged goods and B2B make this combination exciting on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border.”

Ariad’s partnership with Bluespire Marketing extends to Bluespire Senior Living. Formerly Martino & Binzer, who had been serving the senior living market for 20 years, Bluespire Senior Living focuses on marketing, sales and technology solutions in the senior living and aging services industry. “Bringing the healthcare industry expertise of Bluespire to Martino & Binzer’s clients was an attractive proposition when we joined forces last year and began the transition to Bluespire Senior Living,” says Jay Hibbard, President of Bluespire Senior Living. “Today, we are further committed to the transition knowing that we’ll be bringing a wealth of knowledge in senior living to the Canadian market, strengthened by Ariad’s expertise in the Canadian healthcare system.”

Bluespire Marketing was formed in 2012 by Priority Integrated Marketing (founded 1983) and Dowden Custom Media (founded 1987). Bluespire Senior Living was formed when Martino & Binzer joined forces with Bluespire in 2014. Bluespire Marketing and Bluespire Senior Living will retain their brand names in the U.S.

“This is exciting for Ariad Communications, Bluespire Marketing and Bluespire Senior Living employees and clients. The philosophies of these organizations are remarkably similar, with emphases on developing engaging and inspiring cultures to attract and retain the very best people. We have been working with HRCP for six months on this plan and have found them to be a good cultural fit as well. HRCP comes highly recommended given that they’ve built many successful businesses by focusing on investing in organizational infrastructures and talent to best enable performance that results in exceeding clients’ expectations,” says Beckerman.

About Ariad Communications

Ariad Communications is a marketing agency focused on creating content that motivates, creative that inspires, and strategy that connects it all to clients’ customers to drive business results. Some of Canada’s most successful brands in the healthcare, CPG, B2B, and financial services sectors engage with Ariad’s marketing professionals to generate brand engagement, deepen customer relationships, and instil loyalty. Those brands include Unilever, Degree, Sears, OneTouch, Reactine, Johnson & Johnson, Colliers, Becel, Visa, D+H, Vale, PwC, Skate Canada, and smart Car.

ariad.ca / twitter.com/AriadComm

About Bluespire Marketing

Bluespire specializes in personalized engagement for life’s biggest decisions. The company combines marketing strategy, technology and content to drive growth for clients in healthcare and financial services. For 30+ years, the most well-known healthcare and financial brands in the U.S. have chosen Bluespire as a preferred marketing partner. A few of Bluespire’s notable current clients include Pfizer, Navy Federal Credit Union, the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange and North Shore-LIJ Health System, along with one of the three largest banks in the U.S. Bluespire has offices in Minneapolis and New Jersey with satellite locations across the U.S.

bluespiremarketing.com / twitter.com/BluespireMktg

About Bluespire Senior Living

Inspired by Martino & Binzer, a well-respected and trusted senior living industry partner, Bluespire Senior Living integrates marketing + technology + sales to make phones ring, turn prospects into residents and improve cost-per-lead with a focus on improving the bottom line thanks to its track, measure, report philosophy. Bluespire Senior Living clients include Senior Quality Lifestyles Corporation, Covenant Retirement Communities, National Lutheran Communities & Services, Episcopal Communities & Services, and many more. Bluespire Senior Living is a proud LeadingAge Silver Partner with offices in Hartford and satellite locations across the U.S.

bluespiremarketing.com/Expertise/Senior-Living / twitter.com/SeniorMktgPros

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Ariad Communications

Colin Withers, 416-646-3138

Brand and Communications Manager

[email protected]

ariad.ca

or

Bluespire

Jen Joly, 800-727-6397

Vice President, Marketing and Brand

[email protected]

bluespiremarketing.com

Source: Ariad Communications