The Abbi Agency, Boost Creative Services merge firms

Two Reno marketing companies whose reach extends to clients nationwide — Boost Creative Services and The Abbi Agency — will merge this week.

The transaction is an unexpected outgrowth of BiggestLittleCity.org, the grassroots effort to reshape the image of the Reno area.

The newly merged company will be known as The Abbi Agency Powered by Boost. Terms of the merger, which creates a 15-person firm, weren’t disclosed.

The deal brings together the design skills of Boost Creative Services, which was founded in 2002 by Ronnie Parker, and the public relations skills of The Abbi Agency, founded by Abbi Whittaker.

Both firms work with national clients as well as organizations in northern Nevada. Among the national clients are Offerpop, a New York-based social media firm; HomeAdvisor.com, a home-project matching service that’s operated by New York-based IAC/InterActivecorp, and Odyssey Teams of Chico, Calif.

Parker said the merged firm can bring an expanded portfolio of services to existing and potential clients.

Whittaker said the two firms have a long-standing relationship, subcontracting parts of marketing projects to one another for about six years.

While Parker and Whittaker had talked occasionally about combining the two firms, their work together as leaders of BiggestLittleCity.org this spring convinced both that a combination would work.

“We got to see the passion,” said Whittaker.

The Abbi Agency Powered by Boost is located at 250 Hill St., and Parker said the company is committed to remaining in Reno’s downtown area.