Following discussions that began in late 2019, The Dalton Agency, an international, integrated marketing communications firm, announced today that it has merged with the Bradford Group, a Nashville-based public relations, social media and content marketing agency. The merger creates Nashville’s fourth-largest public relations and advertising agency as measured by revenue. A video announcement providing additional background on the merger was published this morning.
 
While Bradford’s existing clients will continue to enjoy the same high level of public relations, social media and content marketing services upon which the agency has built its strong reputation, the addition of Dalton introduces a wide array of expanded services. Effective immediately, all clients across both agencies will have access to a host of services that also include advertising creative and campaign development, media planning and buying, digital media and production, branding, website design and programming, and video and animation production.
 
The merger builds upon Dalton’s recent merger with Nashville-based Anode, which added innovative technology services to Dalton’s portfolio of offerings. With the merger, Bradford clients will also have access to experiential design and interactive exhibits, corporate show and live event creation and management, and advanced marketing technology, including virtual reality, augmented reality, motion graphics and touch-screen interaction.
 
“What won’t change is the level of service that Bradford Group clients enjoy and the professionals who provide those services,” said Jim Dalton, CEO, Dalton Agency. “One thing that particularly attracted me to this opportunity is that it is a merger of two firms whose services are complementary, not duplicative, so no staff reductions are planned. Though its services are dramatically expanded, the face of the Bradford Group does not change.”
 
Jeff Bradford, a member of the Nashville Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs Hall of Fame, will lead the Nashville office of the merged firm as president, sharing leadership with his long-time business partner, Gina Gallup, who will be senior vice president. The Bradford Group will maintain its name and will operate from its offices at the Fifth & Main Building in East Nashville. The firm’s offices in Jacksonville, FL and Atlanta will maintain the Dalton Agency brand.
 
The Bradford Group’s staff will virtually double with the merger, expanding from 11 to 21 people in Nashville. Total income of the combined firms is over $12 million.
 
“It was an incredible feeling when Gina Gallup and I founded the Bradford Group 20 years ago – a combination of elation over what we had created and expectation of what we could do,” noted Jeff Bradford, CEO, the Bradford Group. “Our merger with Dalton brings on the same feelings, as it opens up new vistas for us and our clients. We are now able to provide a full menu of marketing services to complement the full offering of public relations services that has brought our firm success. Our clients will benefit greatly from this integrated marketing approach, just as Dalton’s clients will benefit from the ideas, actions and results generated by our seasoned PR professionals.”
 
Founded in 1989 in Jacksonville – where it is the city’s largest marketing agency – the Dalton Agency has a total staff of 93 across its three offices. It has been named an “Agency of the Year” in the Southeast by Advertising Age magazine.
 
“I am particularly excited about solidifying our agency’s already strong presence in Nashville, which is one of the most attractive markets in the nation today,” added Dalton. “We entered the market three years ago through our merger with Bill Hudson & Associates and built on this commitment last year by merging with Anode. The Dalton Agency has merged with six other agencies throughout its history, and the Bradford Group is our largest and most renowned merger partner to date. It is one of the most important events in the history of both our firms.”
 
Dalton already represents such marquee Nashville companies as Opryland Hotel and Soundwaves Water Experience, Change Healthcare, CarePayment, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Bridgestone and the Nashville Public Library. The merger with Bradford adds such well-known brands as First Horizon Bank, Cumberland Pharmaceuticals, Ascend Federal Credit Union, Turner Construction and Advance Financial to the client roster.