Gorilla Glue moves media account from Empower to Curiosity

The Gorilla Glue Co. has moved its media account, including its namesake brand and O’Keefe’s skincare, from Empower Media to Curiosity, according to people familiar with the matter. It’s the latest account loss for Empower since the agency was sold earlier this year. More: Inside Empower’s staff exodus after ownership change Gorilla Glue spent $19.2 million in measured media in 2022 and $10.9 million in the first six months of this year, according to Vivvix with social media spending data from Pathmatics. Creative for Gorilla Glue is handled in house. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs A Curiosity executive and a spokeswoman for Gorilla Glue each confirmed the move. A spokesman for Empower could not immediately reach executives for comment. The marketer, Empower and Curiosity are all based in Cincinnati. Gorilla Glue’s move follows Empower’s losses of the Brooks Running and Bush Brothers & Co. accounts earlier this year. Another major client for the agency, Zaxby’s, launched a review earlier this month. The Brooks and Bush Bros. moves were in the works prior to the Jan. 12 announcement of the agency’s sale and were not figured into the purchase price, according to a spokesman for Empower. At the time of the sale, Empower said its client tenure rate stood at three times the industry record; five of the 18 brands listed at that time now either have left or are in review. The Gorilla Glue account had been with Empower since 2013. Brooks, Bush Bros., Gorilla Glue and Zaxby’s were among the agency’s five biggest accounts, according to people familiar with the matter, and had combined 2022 spending of $98.5 million, per Vivvix and Pathmatics. Empower has seen more than 100 employee departures since February to Procter & Gamble Co. and several other agencies, marketers, retail media and tech firms since Jim Price, son of the agency’s founder Mary Beth Price, in January sold a controlling interest in the agency to Ashlee Clarke, who is CEO of Empower and of New York-based agency NitroC. Price, who was to have remained as non-executive chairman through January 2024, and Cathy Shaffner, chief investment officer, took early buyouts and had left the agency as of September. Some former employees and others close to the agency cite a culture clash of incumbent employees with Clarke and her husband and executive chairman Chris Clarke. Empower employment topped out at 233 before the acquisition and a 15% reduction in force announced in January just before the merger, according to an agency spokesman, citing current employment of around 170 earlier this month and plans to staff up the Chicago office with 100 people. Another executive familiar with the agency said employment topped out above 275. A search on LinkedIn shows fewer than 100 people currently with Empower. Media measurement blog Tracking TV, social and digital updates Click here

Gorilla Glue moves media account from Empower to Curiosity

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