Following an acquisition spree last year, marketing agency Hawke Media LLC has purchased branding firm Jessica Zweig Inc., which does business as SimplyBe. Santa Monica-based Hawke acquired SimplyBe. this month for an undisclosed amount after acquiring digital marketing agencies Lone Fir Creative, Tribute Media and Leverage Marketing LLC last year. The value of those deals was not disclosed, and the company said that Chicago-based SimplyBe. will operate as a subsidiary under Hawke.
Hawke was founded in 2014 by Erik Huberman, who is its chief executive, and brands its platform as an “outsourced chief marketing officer” with services including web design, affiliate marketing, social media optimization and brand production. Its partners include Meta Platforms Inc., Shopify, Santa Monica-based Tapcart Inc., Klaviyo Inc. and Venice-based Superfiliate. Its clients include Crocs Inc., media company Barstool Sports and Malibu-based Casamigos Tequila LLC.
“One of the most important facets of marketing for a brand is ultimately the face of the brand,” Huberman said in a statement. “By procuring (SimplyBe.), we are taking performance marketing to new heights for our clients, leveraging an additional channel to significantly boost their business and prioritize branding like never before.”
A Hawke spokesperson reported that the company is currently valued at more than $150 million and that this acquisition will help SimplyBe. expand its own services and platform through Hawke’s business relationships and market presence. SimplyBe. has 21 employees who will join Hawke’s team, bringing the latter’s headcount to 221. SimplyBe.’s chief executive and founder, Jessica Zweig, will stay on as Hawke’s executive vice president of personal branding.
