Buffalo Brand Invigoration Group (Buffalo BIG), which is based in the D.C. area, formed Buffalo.Agency following its acquisition of the award-winning branding, advertising, design and social agency Sparky’s Garage and merger with the data, digital and direct marketing assets of Billy Casper Golf. According to a release, Buffalo.Agency specializes in connecting brands to businesses and consumers in the global golf, sport and lifestyle markets. The release added that Sparky’s Garage, founded 15 years ago and led by Bill Replogle and John Pfeifer, “has been pumping hi-octane creative thinking for clients like Harley-Davidson, Virginia Lottery, Softspikes, Glaxo, Icelandair, Whole Foods, AAMCO, National Geographic, American Cancer Society and Hand & Stone Spas. Prior to launching Sparky’s, Replogle and Pfeifer developed Admine, the first Internet marketplace for ad campaigns, and built and sold Rainmaker, one of the Washington, DC-area’s fastest growing ad agencies.”
Hager Sharp’s Director of Strategic Planning and Research, Christina Nicols M.P.H., M.S., M.S., has, stated a release, brought together some of best minds in health communications and social marketing with a book that is destined to become the new “bible” of health communications: Health Industry Communication: New Media, New Methods, New Message. Nicols and co-editor Nancy Hicks, continued the release, have developed a new resource on developing campaigns to create and sustain healthy behaviors—from a foundation of research and strategic planning, through execution and evaluation—with an emphasis on ethics in health communication and using paid and shared media effectively.
Tysons, Va-based WHITE64 adds seven to its staff. Alex Belgrave, who was named WHITE64’s art director, comes from IBM Interactive Experience + Mobile in Chicago, where he was responsible for creating intuitive mobile experiences for IBM clients. Prior to that he attended the VCU Brandcenter in Richmond, Va, where he earned a Master’s degree in art direction. In addition to Belgrave, the following also joined WHITE64: Emily Scheu, senior media planner; Nick Walters, front-end developer; Grace Shomaker, assistant account executive; Lyon McCandless, account executive; Michelle Chammas, social media specialist; and, Mara Bealey, media planner/buyer.