BizCom Associates, named the top franchise PR agency by Global Franchise for 2023, today announced it has acquired franchise marketing and lead-generation firm Brand J (formerly Brand Journalists). Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“The result is that two of franchising’s leading PR, lead generation and development marketing agencies are joining forces to create franchising’s premier marketing firm,” said BizCom CEO Scott White, who co-founded BizCom in 1999 with COO Monica Feid. “Brand J is one of the most respected marketing agencies in franchising with a long history of delivering exceptional results for their clients and we are very excited to have them become a part of the BizCom family.”
“We’ve worked alongside BizCom for decades and together we’ve helped grow some of the most iconic franchise brands in the industry,” said Thomas Scott, founder of Brand J. “There are a lot of PE acquisitions in the franchise industry today and both firms want to remain privately held and committed to growing sustainable, responsible franchise systems. This merger helps us stand out as a supplier of choice in a rapidly growing industry.”
The acquisition is a natural fit for both firms. BizCom and Brand J are annually ranked in Entrepreneur magazine’s list of the top franchise suppliers and together they represent more than four decades of franchise PR and marketing experience, having worked with many of the most well-known and high-profile names in franchising.
White said that Brand J will operate as a separate division under the BizCom umbrella that includes BizComPR, Digital BizCom and BizCom Design. No Brand J staff changes are planned and Scott will remain involved as a strategist and consultant, ensuring that the excellent results continue.
“Led by CEO Jack Monson, the Brand J team is an exceptional collection of franchise professionals,” White said. “Brand J clients will notice no change in the day-to-day service of their accounts. Rather, both BizCom and Brand J clients will now have access to even more services to grow their brands. Together we are now able to provide clients with a total franchise marketing solution and a way to consolidate budgets and multiple agency relationships.”
With the addition of Brand J, BizCom’s combined agency services now include public relations, franchise lead generation, website design, video production, influencer campaigns, digital marketing, graphic design, crisis communication, personal branding and more.
About Brand J
Since 2008, Brand J [formerly known as Brand Journalists] has led the industry in franchise development services including franchise lead generation, award-winning recruitment websites, storytelling videos, and a wide range of development consulting. Brand J has been ranked by Entrepreneur magazine as a top industry supplier four years in a row and has built more award-winning franchise websites than all other suppliers combined. Brand J has helped grow over 400 franchise systems, working with development teams to recruit over 12,000 new franchisees using a unique approach to marketing and recruitment that uses storytelling to engage potential buyers and convert them into top-performing franchisees.
