Former 360i CEO Jared Belsky forms new agency aimed at mid-market brands

Former 360i CEO Jared Belsky and Sean Belnick, founder of Bizchair.com, are starting a new Atlanta-based digital agency, Acadia, aimed at mid-market brands. “Mid-market growth marketers often have two choices: Reach up to a big, expensive agency, and maybe not get the A team, or bring together nine boutique agencies to cover all their needs. It’s such an underserved market,” says Belsky. Acadia, which has 65 employees upon launch, will provide acquisition and e-commerce solutions, inclusive of Shopify, Klayvio, Amazon, Google, Facebook, and analytics, as well as creative and social media services, according to Belsky. The agency was formed by bringing together Techwood Digital, a digital marketing agency; Nicely Built, an e-commerce agency; Imagine Media, a social media and marketing agency; and an undisclosed e-commerce tech provider. Belsky could not yet disclose the name of the e-commerce firm, but said the technology will be compatible with Shopify and will help with audience segmentation. Acadia will also offer seed investing on a case-by-case basis. The company sees Atlanta and the southeast as a major growth market and competitive advantage. The move comes after Belsky left 360i in June after 13 years. He was one of the original team members that led the agency to branch out into artificial intelligence and e-commerce. Belsky departed 360i following a reorganization at its parent company, Dentsu, that consolidated 160 agencies down to six. Upon leaving, Belsky said he was “getting back to his entrepreneurial roots.” Part of that entrepreneurialism will manifest in Acadia investing in some of its clients. “An agency should be on their client’s side and obsess over their wins and losses,” says Belsky. “When we are economically aligned with our clients, that has a big psychological impact for us and for them. We can be on them and be there in a unique way.” Acadia’s clients include Greenlight, a kids debit card; skincare line Pipette Baby; luxury fashion brand Marc Jacobs; Nasdaq; clean beauty brand Credo; Amore Pacific, a South Korean beauty brand; FirstHoney, medical honey; Poppy, a line of hand-crafted popcorn; and Grubbly Farms, a direct-to-consumer sustainable pet food company, which is the first client to receive co-investment. “Working with Acadia is now a very deep partnership,” Patrick Pittaluga, co-founder of Grubbly, said in a statement. “We not only get their growth marketing expertise, but also their total and holistic focus given the broader investment.”

Former 360i CEO Jared Belsky forms new agency aimed at mid-market brands

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