Dragon consolidates six indie shops

Arlene Dickinson is executive chair of Believeco: Partners, which has plans on making more indie acquisitions.

Six Canadian independent agencies are joining forces to launch Believeco: Partners, a shop offering a full suite of marketing and branding services with a focus in the health, wellness and food and beverage sectors.

Believeco:Partners will be headquartered in Calgary. It is bringing together Venture Play, previously associated with Arlene Dickinson’s Venture Communications/Venturepark – which recently helped Alberta Milk break through to younger demos and launch Sapsucker as an RTD –  PR firm Argyle, strategic marketer Brightworks, integrated branding shop Zync, marketer/brander Revolve and Indigenous advisory firm, Castlemain.

The impetus for Believeco:Partners began with its executive chair, Dickinson, setting out to find partners who believe that independent marketing and communication firms at scale are the best way to serve the evolving needs of clients and teammates.

“In Believeco:Partners, we’ve created a platform that preserves the qualities that make independent shops extraordinary,” says Dickinson. “We’re keeping the founders at the wheel, with skin in the game, committed to the long-term future of their teams and their clients’ business success.”

Powered by an investment from the Canadian Business Growth Fund (CBGF), Believeco:Partners has plans to acquire more independent companies and will serve North American clients with over 300 professionals in seven offices and two countries.

Argyle will continue to operate as a North American engagement, public relations/communications and reputation advisory agency, with a client list including tech, financial services, health, agriculture and government sectors.

Castlemain continues as an advisory firm serving Indigenous nations, communities and peoples with expertise in governance, negotiation, economic development, lands, infrastructure and strategic engagement and communications. Castlemain will continue to be led by Rob McPhee as president.

Brightworks founder Neil Follett has been appointed CEO of Believeco and Daniel Tisch continues as CEO of Argyle. They join Dickinson as co-managing partners of Believeco:Partners.

Last year, Dickinson announced that Venturepark would house her network of business services and act as a growth ecosystem focused on CPG and wellness brands.