Mekanism Acquires Influencer Marketing Startup Epic Signal

San Francisco based creative agency Mekanism announced today that it would acquire Epic Signal, a social-video startup that specializes in creating branded campaigns with social media and video influencers.

Founded in 2013 by Mekanism and Fullscreen veteran Brendan Gahan, Epic Signal maintains offices in both New York and San Francisco from which it helps clients to design influencer-based marketing programs and provides brand partners like Pepsi, Anheuser-Busch InBev, NBC’s ‘The Voice’ and Chevy. Epic signal also provides clients with channel strategy management for social video platforms like Instagram Video, Snapchat, Periscope, Vine and YouTube.

In a statement Gahan described the acquisition as supporting growth, “The social video space is growing so quickly, and with this deal we’ll be able to grow with it and have the best minds in digital, creative, and client services advising us.” Anticipating that growth the company has added Hallie Harris to it’s executive team as Director of Social Strategy. Harris previously served as general manager of Jay-Z’s IconicTV, part of YouTube’s premium content initiative.

The move by Mekanism is on trend as more and more companies in the digital video space move to acquire social influencer shops. Earlier this month Disney-owned MCN Maker Studios acquired influencer marketing startup Instafluence and in May Otter Media’s Fullscreen acquired social creative agency McBeard. This year also saw similar acquisitions by Twitter and Corbis which snapped up social talent agencies Niche and Plaid Social Labs respectively.