Longtime Seattle Ad Agencies Merge Into Bozell/Seattle

SEATTLE - Two longtime Seattle advertising agencies, Borders, Perrin & Norrander and Cf2GS, have merged to become Bozell/Seattle.

Previously independent subsidiaries of True North Communications, Bozell/Seattle becomes part of Bozell Worldwide, a unit of True North, a worldwide advertising-agency holding company.

With nearly 70 employees and estimated 1998 billings of $75 million, the agency will become one of the top three ad agencies in the region operating at former headquarters in the National Building at 1008 Western Ave. It will retain the two groups' former clients, including Starbucks, Hewlett-Packard, Eddie Bauer, Airtouch Cellular and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

"We expect to be a strong contender for Northwest business that might otherwise look outside the area to find a full-service international agency," said Peter Hatt, formerly chief executive officer of BP&N and president of the new group. Additional hiring is anticipated, the group said.