Ceisler Media & Issue Advocacy and Athena Global Advisors have announced a merger that brings together two long-time collaborators into a single, expanded organization—one designed to offer end-to-end services across communications, marketing, issue advocacy, and management consulting.

The deal formalizes a partnership that’s been quietly in motion since 2020, when the firms began sharing clients and teaming up on projects where strategy, messaging, and execution needed to move in lockstep. Now, instead of coordinating across company lines, those capabilities will live under one roof.

How the Merger Is Structured

Under the agreement, Ceisler Media will become an Athena company, but it will continue operating under its own name. The firm retains its brand, culture, leadership, and operational independence—a structure that signals integration without absorption.

Founder Larry Ceisler and the entire Ceisler Media leadership team remain in place, along with staff and offices across Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and the Lehigh Valley. For clients, the day-to-day relationship with Ceisler Media stays intact, while access to Athena’s broader capabilities expands.

Athena, meanwhile, adds a seasoned public relations and issue advocacy engine directly into its portfolio, rather than relying on partners or subcontractors.

Why This Combination Makes Sense Now

On paper, the two firms are highly complementary. Ceisler Media brings three decades of experience in public relations, media strategy, and issue advocacy, with a client roster spanning Fortune 50 companies, government agencies, nonprofits, and small businesses. Athena contributes management consulting, brand strategy, data analytics, digital intelligence, and large-scale execution capabilities across industries like media, telecom, sports, transportation, and consumer brands.

Together, the combined offering spans:

• Branding and marketing strategy

• Public relations and media engagement

• Issue advocacy and reputation management

• Digital intelligence and data analytics

• Event strategy and production

• Management and organizational consulting

The result is a full-stack communications and strategy consultancy—a model that’s increasingly attractive as clients look to consolidate vendors and demand tighter alignment between strategy and execution.

From Informal Partnership to Integrated Platform

Larry Ceisler framed the merger as a natural next step rather than a sudden shift. “It’s rare to encounter a like-minded peer who leads their business with the same values and sense of collaboration,” he said, pointing to shared commitments to transparency, empathy, and excellence as the foundation of the deal.

That emphasis on values matters in an industry where culture clashes often derail integrations. By preserving Ceisler Media’s independence while embedding it within Athena, the firms appear to be prioritizing continuity—for both employees and clients.

Athena founder Maggy Wilkinson echoed that sentiment, noting that the firm was built on the idea that strategy, execution, and trust should coexist. “This merger builds on a proven partnership and allows Athena to expand our in-house capabilities, scale how we serve clients, and accelerate growth,” she said.

Implications for Clients—and the Market

For clients, the immediate benefit is access. Services that once required coordination across multiple vendors—or informal partnerships—can now be delivered internally. That reduces friction, shortens timelines, and gives clients a single strategic throughline from insight to execution.

From a market perspective, the merger reflects a broader trend in marketing and communications: convergence. PR firms are moving upstream into strategy and analytics, while consultancies are pushing deeper into storytelling, media, and advocacy. Clients increasingly expect both.

Rather than competing head-on with global holding companies, Athena and Ceisler are carving out a mid-market-to-enterprise niche focused on integration, agility, and regional depth—particularly in the Mid-Atlantic.

Scale, Experience, and Credibility

The numbers add weight to the strategy. Ceisler Media, founded in 1995, currently services more than 70 clients with a team of 25 full-time employees. Athena, founded in 2013, brings 130 full-time employees, a diverse client portfolio, and recent accolades, including Wilkinson’s recognition as one of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s 2025 “Most Admired CEOs” and Athena’s multi-year run as a Philadelphia Inquirer Top Workplace.

Combined, the firms have the scale to handle complex, multi-market engagements—without losing the hands-on leadership involvement many clients value.

What Comes Next

The companies say the merger will allow them to broaden services for existing clients immediately, while also investing more deeply in subject matter expertise and technology. That suggests future expansion in areas like data-driven communications, digital intelligence, and integrated campaign measurement—capabilities increasingly central to modern MarTech and PR strategies.

For now, the message is clear: this isn’t about cutting costs or rebranding. It’s about building a more cohesive platform at a time when communications, technology, and public perception are evolving faster than ever.

As agencies and consultancies race to adapt, Athena and Ceisler are betting that integration—not specialization alone—is the path to staying relevant.

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