Breaking News Announcement

Earlier this morning came breaking news about a company familiar to both Rochester and RAMA – SIGMA Marketing Group, an industry leader in knowledge-based marketing. SIGMA, along with its lead investor DeltaPoint Capital, announced the acquisition of three marketing companies: Creative Communications, Inc., eLocal Marketing and Strategic Targeting, Inc. The company also announced the appointment of a new executive management team.

As the Communications Chair for RAMA, I had the privilege of interviewing a colleague of mine from the RAMA Board of Directors, Barb Cote, who is the VP, Membership, as well as the Chief Creative Officer for SIGMA Marketing Group. Here is what Barb has to say about these acquisitions.

D-D: What is the strategic vision for the combined company?

Barb: “SIGMA is an end-to-end marketing services firm that is rooted in customer- focused solutions. This new vision has four components; the first is our core competency of knowledge-based marketing, which has been SIGMA’s foundation since the company began. The second component is multi-channel marketing – the ability to deliver services through storefront, Internet, mobile, print, TV, radio, mail — whichever channel the customer prefers. Third, we have adopted a media-neutral position that will allow us to recommend the optimal media mix. Lastly, SIGMA remains brand-focused — everything we do for our clients will enhance the value of their brands.”

D-D: How will the acquisition of the three marketing companies (an advertising agency, Internet marketing company and analytical company) change SIGMA’s product/service offerings?

Barb: “SIGMA can now meet a wider set of client needs, with the ability to provide a broad range of marketing services through a variety of channels. Our services offered will include Internet marketing, mobile marketing, advertising, database marketing, marketing analytics and branding. In addition, SIGMA has also acquired MarketMiner, a proprietary software solution. MarketMiner is a suite of highly automated marketing analytical tools that will offer clients enhanced insights and quicker results because analyses can be performed in real-time. Along with our expanded products and services, the acquisitions have also led SIGMA to focus on a new initiative that we call ‘Reality Marketing.”

D-D: Can you elaborate on “reality marketing?"

Barb: Today we live in a world where virtual activity has replaced much of what was once only done in live space. We can simulate almost everything — tastes, relationships, even customer behavior. Why do we need the real, when the virtual is easy and predictable?

It shouldn’t be a surprise, but our customers are real. They behave in real ways in real time. Throw them a virtual solution and they will do virtually nothing!

SIGMA is committed to helping our clients stay REAL to their customers. It starts by taking a “here and now” approach to interacting with them, by tapping into and delivering real and relevant information that reflects their needs and desires at this very moment. Think of it as taking the “pulse” of your customers in real-time.

D-D: How does this differ from the company’s original strategy as a direct marketing company? 

Barb: “Our foundation still revolves around leveraging customer data. Now, however, we have the technology and expertise that brings solutions to market in a fraction of the time it used to. We also can provide a seamless, brand-focused message across multiple channels using the best media mix — all based upon current customer insights  — not information that is six months out of date.”

D-D: I understand SIGMA also announced today the appointment of a new executive management team comprised of leaders from all four companies. What type of impact will this have on SIGMA?

Barb: The new management team significantly impacts SIGMA because each person brings extensive experience in a particular area, and that allows us to expand our products and services into new markets. For example, Kenyon Blunt, our new CEO, founded and managed two companies, Bullseye Marketing and eLocal Marketing — Bullseye focused on database marketing and eLocal did search marketing and permission email — his experience in those areas contributed immensely to SIGMA’s new strategic vision and our new product and service offerings.

The same can be said for Max Coats our Executive Vice President from Creative Communications, and Jerry Montgomery our new Senior Vice President from Strategic Targeting, Inc. Max brings to SIGMA over 20 years of experience in strategy, branding, creative direction, mobile marketing, Internet marketing, and data mining.

Jerry Montgomery brings 17 years of direct marketing and sales experience, and 25 years of data mining, statistical analysis and advanced decision system development experience. Jerry actually is the principal architect of the MarketMiner suite of analytical tools that now reside inside of SIGMA.

Our President, Jim Byrnes, who has been with SIGMA since 1993, has been involved with overseeing business development and operations throughout his tenure. He has utilized his extensive experience in database marketing to keep SIGMA relevant as it has grown over the last 14 years. Jim has more than 25 years of experience in relationship marketing and he remains committed to providing best-of-breed solutions for every client.

Check back next week as Barb has agreed to speak to me about SIGMA Marketing Group's next steps.