Learfield hired N.Y.-based agency SME earlier this year to create a new brand campaign with a refreshed logo, and Learfield liked the work so much that the company bought Senior Partner ED O’HARA’s branding agency. The move gives Learfield another layer of capabilities for its 125 college clients. “We know first-hand the great work SME does, and it’s easy to see the value they can bring to our clients and partners,” Learfield President & CEO GREG BROWN said. SME, founded in '89, already has a solid base of business in the college space, counting the ACC, Pac-12, Louisville and North Dakota as clients, in addition to its work with pro teams and leagues. “SME brings incredibly important strategic branding capabilities to Learfield,” Brown said. “As we have continued to discuss with our clients their needs, they are clear that branding and creative expertise are at the heart of those needs.” Neither Learfield nor SME revealed terms of the deal, which goes into effect immediately. SME will continue to operate under the current name and brand, and all employees will remain with the firm, both sides said. O’Hara, the agency’s president, will report to Learfield COO MARC JENKINS, who oversees Learfield’s extended business lines that go beyond multimedia rights. “With Learfield’s support, resources and reach in the marketplace, SME will be able to broaden our services, deepen our relationships and provide our clients with more and better tools with which to build their brands successfully,” O’Hara said. Jenkins added, “SME’s expertise will be applied across the entire spectrum of Learfield’s business offerings, especially within the context of Learfield Licensing Partners, to provide holistic brand management services.”
