Two Hampton Roads marketing agencies to merge

Norfolk-based WB Marketing’s parent company has acquired majority interest in Virginia Beach-based marketing and communications firm Meridian Group and will merge the two into one agency, Meridian Group announced Tuesday.

Mike Matacunas from Norfolk-based private investment firm Five Hill Capital — WB Marketing’s parent — acquired the majority interest from Meridian Group founder Joe Takach, who is semi-retired and will serve as a consultant. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The two agencies will keep their current names and Norfolk and Virginia Beach offices but will integrate resources and talent to offer creative, digital, media, public relations, video and web development services. The combined company will be the largest full-service marketing agency in Hampton Roads by number of employees and total number of clients, according to the Meridian Group. The company will have more than 30 employees at full staff but has multiple openings. Meridian Group declined to provide specifics on the number and types of openings.

Meridian Group has provided advertising, public relations and digital marketing for more than 40 years. The company has 23 employees and more than 25 clients, including Stihl Inc., The Breeden Co., the city of Virginia Beach, the Chrysler Museum of Art and Smithfield Foods Inc.

“I am excited to build upon the legacy of Meridian Group and bring more services, deeper insights and creative skills to the market,” Meridian Group President Bill Brunelle said in a statement. “We have the great fortune of working with many of the top businesses in the area, and now we have more talent and depth than anyone else to make a difference for our clients.”

WB Marketing was established in 1960 as Waters Advertising. The company rebranded as Top Line Marketing/Waters & Bridgman Marketing Solutions, before Five Hill Capital’s Matacunas acquired it in July 2020 and moved its offices from Newport News to Norfolk. It serves more than 30 clients, including The Breeden Co., the cities of Norfolk and Manassas, Virginia Opera and Virginia Health Services. WB Marketing has eight employees.

“We have transformed WB Marketing over the last few years and established ourselves as a premier digital and creative agency in the market with a passion for clients and transformation,” WB Marketing CEO Jean Matacunas said in a statement. “This combination enables us to bring this same passion and fun to more clients, every day.”