The Harvey Agency announced a partnership with strategy and creative start-up Coven Collective. Founded by Jessica Brown and Sarah Quackenbush, two Harvey leadership alumnae, Coven will provide Harvey with marketing and creative support for regional and national clients. Brown and Quackenbush previously served as Harvey’s Chief Creative Officer and Chief Strategy Officer, respectively.

“The agency world is at an inflection point,” says Harvey President Matt McDermott. “Agencies can either change the way they work — or be changed. This partnership allows us to continue working with great talent, while supporting their own creative journey.”

McDermott said the partnership is part of a larger agency shift to provide clients greater flexibility in the way they work with Harvey by restructuring the way Harvey works with talent.

“As the longest-running female-founded agency in Baltimore history, Harvey’s excited to partner with and support Baltimore’s newest,” said Harvey COO Sue Baile. “We worked closely with Jess and Sarah to identify creative ways that keep their talent in our orbit.”

Quackenbush, Coven’s co-founder and president, sees the opportunity to break new ground in the way small agencies work together. “We are proud to count Harvey as our first official client, and grateful for the opportunity to continue to support the team we’ve built and the client relationships we’ve established over the past year.”

Rhea E. Skinner

Agency1408, a strategic communications and public relations firm based in New York, announced its expansion to downtown Baltimore. The Baltimore office at 1 N. Charles Street will be headed by Rhea E. Skinner, who brings extensive experience in communications, public relations, and marketing. The team in Baltimore will focus on serving local businesses and organizations, providing them with innovative and effective communication strategies to help them reach their goals.

“We are thrilled to be expanding our reach to Baltimore and bringing our expertise to local businesses and organizations,” said Skinner, also principal publicist. “Our team in Baltimore is dedicated to helping our clients achieve their communication objectives, and we’re excited to be a part of the vibrant business community in downtown Baltimore.”

In an email, Skinner said that since this announcement, “we’ve constantly gotten the question ‘Why’? ‘Why Baltimore of all cities?'”

“At its core, AGENCY1408 is a company that has always put a strong focus on innovation and creativity, and it is clear that the decision to expand to Baltimore was no exception,” Skinner said. “Baltimore is a city that has faced many challenges in recent years, but it is also a city with incredible potential. The team at AGENCY1408 sees an opportunity to make a real difference in Baltimore by working with local organizations and businesses to help them achieve their goals and tell their stories.”

Main image, left to right, McDermott, Quackenbush and Brown, via the Harvey Agency