Research firm Fors Marsh has acquired Brunet-García (B|G), a full-service social impact marketing agency that focuses on improving health, safety, and cross-cultural education and outreach. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The two organizations now look to bring together science and art to take on major challenges–from mental health and substance use disorder to climate resilience to chronic disease and transportation safety–supporting the most vulnerable among us in communities nationwide.
Marking its 20th anniversary this year, Brunet-García is a minority-owned agency headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., that has established a strong niche in developing multicultural marketing strategies that build awareness and affect change around some of the most complex social issues impacting the country. Specializing in developing effective social impact programs for government agencies, nonprofits, foundations, and brands, B|G has focused on bringing voice to underrepresented communities and reaching those often overlooked and underserved. Through award-winning campaigns, B|G has become a leading communicator on issues related to the opioid overdose epidemic, COVID-19, HIV, and other health and safety issues for several federal and Florida state agencies.
The Arlington-based Fors Marsh is a certified B Corporation made up of 420 researchers, advisors, and communicators working together to shape the systems that shape lives. For more than 20 years, Fors Marsh has been serving federal clients like the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Fors Marsh uses behavioral science to improve public health and well-being, promote public service, build climate resilience, increase civic engagement, and develop tomorrow’s federal workforce. Fors Marsh’s public education work has a strong focus on using an evidence-based approach to behavior change–one that ensures that data drives decisions, research provides consumer insights, and strategies and messages are culturally relevant.
“Two firms with rich 20-year histories joining forces. B|G and Fors Marsh are aligned on values and share a common mission of driving meaningful social impact and change through powerful campaigns, especially around key health issues like immunization, substance use disorder, and chronic diseases,” said Fors Marsh CEO Ben Garthwaite, who added, “B|G will augment our creative and outreach capabilities and provide deep expertise in multicultural marketing and communications. Fors Marsh’s research-driven experience, combined with Brunet-García’s creative talent, creates an unmatched portfolio of services to help a wider range of federal and state organizations and, in turn, continue our joint mission of improving Americans’ lives.”
Diane Brunet-Garcia, co-founder of B|G, said, “Jorge [Brunet-Garcia, president/co-founder] and I are incredibly proud of the business we have built over the last 20 years. We are especially proud of the impact the agency’s work has made in addressing critical health and safety issues. Like Fors Marsh, we have built a close-knit team of incredibly talented professionals who have pushed boundaries to inspire meaningful change, so we know the Brunet-García team will continue to soar to even greater heights as part of Fors Marsh.”
