Two local agencies and a handful of local marketing businessmen are now under the helm of a nationally known advertising agency. Mixing elements of former agencies Babbit & Reiman, Cohn & Wolfe, and GCI Group, Grey Global Atlanta enters Atlanta’s marketing arena. How this all will affect Atlanta business, spec ifically the ad, PR, and direct marketing business, is yet to be seen. But the ground is defi nitely shaking.

After winning the $150 million BellSouth account, Grey Global Group expanded into the Southeast with Grey Global Atlanta, a local holding unit. The advertising unit, Grey Worldwide Atlanta was established by acquiring 360, a local communications agency run by Joel Babbit and the GCI Group, already a Grey global partner. Separately, Grey will open Grey Direct offering direct marketing capabilities to enhance the full service marketing capabilities of Grey Global Atlanta. All of the major local players previously ran their own businessess. But now they have behind them a name with international cache – ranked seventh nationally by revenue in 2001 (AdAge). The heads of state are as follows: Joel Babbit, co-founder of 360 and the former Babbit & Reiman, will act as President of Grey Global Atlanta and Chief Creative Officer of the other two local arms. Bob Cohn, co-founder of PR firm Cohn & Wolfe now based in New York, will act as Chairman of GCI Atlanta. Mark Goldman, co-founder of 360, will act as Executive Vice President of the holding unit, and President of the advertising unit. Ken Willis of GCI will be Chairman/CEO of Grey Global Atlanta, while retaining his position as CEO of GCI Atlanta.

On GCI’s prognosis, Willis says, “I expect we will hold somewhere around 80 employees for most of the year and experience revenue growth of about 15%… When we started the firm nine years ago in my attic, one of our key beliefs was that the big clients would come if we pro vided big-time abilities. That has happened, and we now work with most of the Fortune 500 companies based in Atlanta and Georgia.”

Goldman concurs. “I believe that we have the opportunity to become the biggest ad ‘brand name’ in the Southeast. We are the only brand that offers an integrated approach … Our BellSouth win makes us the only local agency of record for one of the city’s primary clients. How ever, to change Atlanta’s perception in our business will require a lot more – more significant wins here and elsewhere and a much higher creative profile.”

Goldman speaks to the bene fits of hitching up with a big name. “All boats go up in a rising tide. We are a local agency. Born and bred here – by me and Joel. Now we are a local agency with massive resources. We believe there are many terrific client opportunities, perhaps not now, but in the future. One of our major targets is within Coca-Cola. We’d like to be the first local agency with AOR status on a brand.”