Prophet Acquires Atlanta Consultancy, (r)evolution

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- (r)evolution, an up-and-coming Atlanta-based branding, marketing, and innovation consultancy, has been acquired by Prophet for an undisclosed amount, the companies announced today.

Founded in 2003 by former corporate practitioners and strategy consultants, the fourteen-person (r)evolution helps businesses achieve transformative growth through a blend of robust analytic-based strategies with processes geared to unleash innovative thinking.  

Prophet is a strategic brand and marketing consultancy that helps its clients win by delivering inspired and actionable ideas.

The acquisition serves to further deepen Prophet's capabilities in the strategies, processes, and creative thinking that result in great brands and businesses.

(r)evolution's marketing and brand strategy work is based on rigorous, consumer insight-led thinking; its engagements have spanned consumer sectors with a variety of well known companies.  (r)evolution has done high profile positioning work for  AT&T, Amstel Light, Carlsberg, Crowne Plaza, and Georgia-Pacific, among others.

The firm also has a proven ability to work cross-functionally across R&D, innovation, and brand management to rapidly prototype ideas and discover unexpected insights leading to new business opportunities.  It is associated with a number of successful new product launches including Colgate Optic White™, an innovation that Forbes says "has taken the industry by storm." Other notable product launches include AAA's Premier Upgrade, Coca Cola multi-serve packaging, Equifax Family Plan, Heineken Premium Light, Home Depot gift cards, and Ryobi tools with lithium ion batteries.

The acquisition also gives Prophet a geographic foothold in the southeast United States, which is important given Atlanta's standing as a regional buying center and its attractive talent market for world-class marketers and brand strategists.

"(r)evolution has carved out an excellent reputation in the last decade, helping businesses find that often-elusive link between strategic, creative, and innovative thinking," said Michael Dunn, Chairman and Chief Executive of Prophet.

"It very much fits with the direction we at Prophet have taken and become known for – and further enhances the value we bring to our clients," he added.

(r)evolution has worked with a healthy roster of well-known clients across a variety of industry segments and in both the business-to-consumer and business-to-business space. In addition to the companies noted above, these include General Mills, Dunkin Donuts, Heinz, Microsoft, and Samsung.

The firm's offices and staff will be maintained in Atlanta; Managing Principals Brian Hankin and Brad White will become partners of Prophet.

"This is an exciting evolution for our company and we are thrilled to join the leading brand and marketing strategy consulting company," said Brian Hankin. "Joining Prophet will allow us to expand our offerings to clients and deepen our relationships."

This is Prophet's third acquisition in recent years as it continues to expand its global presence and enrich its capabilities. In early 2011, it acquired the German management consultancy Noshokaty, Doring & Thun (NDT), based in Berlin; in 2009, it acquired Play, a leading creativity and innovation company based in Richmond, Va.

Contact: Sally Saville Hodge, [email protected]; 773.325.9282

SOURCE Prophet