Pennsylvania marketing and advertising agency Blink has announced the acquisition of Ethic Advertising Agency, located in Pittsburgh, PA. The addition of Ethic immediately extends Blink’s advertising and marketing footprint and client roster, and furthers the agency’s digital performance marketing, traditional media planning and buying, creative services and website development capabilities.

Founded in 2014, Ethic Advertising Agency has grown into a digital-first advertising agency offering full-service capabilities with a focus on performance marketing. Ethic founder Jeff Swartz will join Blink as a co-owner alongside Tim McLaughlin, Robert Baker and Mark Dello Stritto. As the agency’s EVP and Chief Media Director, Swartz will lead the media team with his expertise in digital and broadcast media strategy to advance Blink’s media services.

“The Ethic team will bring additional experience and tools to the already expansive capabilities of Blink’s existing media team. Through Jeff’s leadership, we’re excited to see the growth of our digital media strategy and add even more efficiency to our traditional media services,” said Tim McLaughlin, Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Blink.

“I’m excited to join Blink as a partner and get to work on merging these two unique and successful agencies,” said Swartz. “Both of our teams and the services we provide create a great compliment to each other professionally and culturally. Partnering our digital advertising, media background and creative capabilities with Blink’s marketing strategy and top tier creative chops, will create many new integrated marketing opportunities for the brands we partner with.”

“Additionally, the core values at Ethic have been the foundation of the agency's success and are incredibly important to me. The overlap with Blink’s core values will allow us to continue to operate and grow while maintaining our principles, and allows me to continue my personal mission to be part of one of the most people and culture centric agencies in the market,” added Swartz.

“This acquisition will elevate our digital marketing offerings, extend our creative capabilities and bring fresh perspectives to the agency,” said Mark Dello Stritto, Blink’s President and Chief Creative Officer. “Ethic and Blink share very similar visions for operating an agency. We have high expectations of ourselves and our work, emphasize great customer service, and we always look for new ways to improve the quality of life for our employees,” Dello Stritto added.

Through the acquisition Blink will also secure “Qujam”, a self-served geofencing online platform developed by Ethic that helps customers easily build geofencing digital advertising campaigns for their product or service. The platform uses GPS targeting to service display, OTT/CTV, or video pre-roll ads to people because of where they have physically been. For Qujam customers who need additional marketing, media or creative support, a Qujam representative will connect them
to Blink’s agency team.

Blink CEO and CMO, Robert Baker said, “Blink has had exceptional growth in the past five years due to three previous acquisitions, new business wins and client retention. With the acquisition of Ethic and Qujam, we feel we’ll be positioned to become one of the top 10 ad agencies in the Pittsburgh region.” In addition to the Pittsburgh market, Blink also has an office in Central Pennsylvania. Baker elaborated, “Between our Pittsburgh and Bellefonte offices, we’ll have nearly 40 employees with a deep knowledge of marketing, media, creative strategy and video production. We’re excited for what the future holds for Blink and our clients.”

As they’ve risen to become an award-winning regional leader in the advertising, marketing and creative space, Blink has earned the trust of brands such as Giant Eagle, Viatris, ORX, The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, Senior Life, MSA, 1st Summit Bank, UPMC Enterprises, Sloan Lubrication Systems, Duquesne University, Riverview Auto Group, GetGo, Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc., Centre Foundation, Fluid Conservation Systems and Metzler Forest Products to name a few.

Blink was founded in 2011 and is currently one of the top largest ad agencies in the region with offices in Pittsburgh and Bellefonte, PA offering clients a suite of services including marketing, digital, web, media and video production.