New Communications Group Formed, United Collective, to Capitalize on Today’s “New Consumer”

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIF. – JANUARY 27, 2017 – John Gallegos, Founder and CEO of independent creative agency Grupo Gallegos, announced today the launch of a new communications group named UNITED COLLECTIVE.

Encompassing Grupo Gallegos, business planning consultancy Poly, content creation and post production offering Luna, as well as the acquisitions of digital agency Canvas and public relations firm RL Public Relations + Marketing (RLPR), UNITED COLLECTIVE was formed to help brands capitalize on today’s evolving consumer landscape. Each of the companies within the communications group will be charged with bringing creativity in service to client growth, within their disciplines respectively or as a group. The group will be led by Gallegos, who will serve as CEO for each of the companies.

“The consumers driving true business growth are evolving – they are more technologically savvy, more cross-cultural and more socially inclusive than ever before,” said Gallegos. “Created with specialist companies that truly understand this ‘new consumer,’ UNITED COLLECTIVE has the foresight, capabilities and sensibilities needed to help brands achieve exponential success. The formation of UNITED COLLECTIVE continues to realize our vision of building the most culturally-attuned creative company in the U.S.”

Within the new communications group, all five companies will retain its teams, bringing the total to 150 employees. Each company will work independently for their respective clients, and at times cross-collaborate across disciplines and on new business.

“UNITED COLLECTIVE was created to be as fluid and diverse as the market; it’s one group with multiple doors,” said Gallegos. “This allows clients to leverage a core discipline or a wide range of our capabilities, creating a bespoke hybrid offering as needed. While various specialist companies make up UNITED COLLECTIVE, it is by no means a holding company. Unlike the typical holding company model, UNITED COLLECTIVE was created to be in service to its companies. The companies that make up the group ultimately all share the same vision – that the key to helping clients succeed is increasingly dependent on how lock-step they are to the diverse marketplace that makes up the U.S.”

As part of the new acquisitions, Canvas will become the key element in UNITED COLLECTIVE’s digital marketing solution for clients. Headquartered in New York City with a staff of 30 employees, Canvas delivers multi-channel digital strategy, web and app experiences, and custom digital development capabilities to clients such as Viacom, Estée Lauder Companies, Madison Square Garden, and more. The agency will change its name to CANVAS United and its founder John Kaminsky will be named President, reporting to Gallegos.

“We look forward to being part of UNITED COLLECTIVE and continuing in our path of catering to the needs of today’s rapidly evolving and digitally savvy consumer,” said Kaminsky. “With the rapid rate of technological advancement and the transformation of the consumer marketplace, we are eager to bring our expertise to the group when it comes to providing heightened creative digital solutions for clients.”

With offices in Los Angeles and New York City, since 1996 RLPR has specialized in public relations, social media and grassroots brand experiences serving clients such as Domino’s and many other Fortune 500 companies. It has also served as the PR agency of record for the California Milk Processor Board (creators of got milk?) for 18 years, leading integrated PR initiatives for the board across all consumer groups in California.As part of the acquisition, the agency will change its name to ROX United. Its founder Roxana Lissa will retain her leadership role and will be named President, reporting to Gallegos.

“We’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with John’s teams over the years and we share a mutual commitment to helping brands craft mindful and culturally-attuned consumer engagements,” said Lissa. “This is a natural step in our evolution as PR moves further into the intersection of content, digital and social media.We are energized to continue delivering bigger thinking to brands, and with UNITED COLLECTIVE, more integrated campaigns targeted to today’s new consumer.”

Within the new UNITED COLLECTIVE group, Grupo Gallegos will change its name to GALLEGOS United, further signifying its transformation to be better equipped to deliver growth for clients in an ever-diverse marketplace. The agency will continue to be led by Co-President & Chief Strategy and Engagement Officer Andrew Delbridge and Co-President & Chief Creative Officer Dave Damman, who will both continue to report to Gallegos.

Born from creativity at its core, Grupo Gallegos was founded in 2001 and immediately challenged the Hispanic advertising industry to set a higher creative bar. Recognized as having pioneered a new level of creativity for this space, the agency has been continually lauded for its creativity among the industry’s most notable award shows. As the marketplace transformed, Grupo Gallegos also transformed, making significant investments to stretch its cultural sensibilities beyond Hispanic consumers, including the hiring of Delbridge, Damman, and additional talent from leading creative agencies within the U.S. and abroad. In 2016 the agency’s transformation was further realized when it added Coronado Brewing Co. and NEXjet to its client roster.

Luna was also formed in 2013, serving as a post-production studio for Grupo Gallegos clients. Due to rising client demand, Luna has expanded its capabilities into content creation, film editing, and production. Within UNITED COLLECTIVE, the agency will change its name to LUNA United and will continue to be led by Damman.

“With these five companies, UNITED COLLECTIVE is well equipped to help brands acculturate to today’s new consumer while meeting consumer engagement needs from beginning to end,” said Gallegos. “Regardless of the party or policies of the day, there’s no turning back the technological, generational and demographic shifts towards a more inclusive and diverse marketplace. Ultimately, whether brands grow or not will come down to their ability to stay in lock-step with this ever-evolving landscape.”