How Senior Living Marketing Firms Are Gaining More Firepower

The recent acquisition of Forté, a Dallas-based public relations agency that exclusively serves the senior living industry, is a move that will bring the marketing communications agency The Point Group into the senior living space at a time when it sees the potential for growth—and also suggests a growing trend of senior living marketing firepower getting stronger through business transactions.

The Forté acquisition follows another recent investment betting on the growing power of senior living communications agencies, namely the private equity buy in to marketing firm GlynnDevins, one of the industry’s largest marketing companies.

Since 1999, Forté has worked exclusively with senior housing clients of every type, from residential care to skilled nursing and affordable communities, establishing itself as one of the most specialized PR groups in the space, serving Avanti Senior Living, Senior Quality Lifestyle Corporation and many others.

Meanwhile, The Point Group has specialized in areas such as real estate and technology for about 20 years. The result of the acquisition: Forté Senior Living Group, a division of The Point Group, with plans to overlap and expand upon each company’s areas of focus and expertise.

“Our clients have ever-evolving communications needs, and this just strengthens our abilities to meet those,” says Beth Wilbins, president of Forté.

The acquisition is The Point Group’s first time delving specifically into the senior living space. The investment sum was not disclosed, but it’s an investment The Point Group had been considering for about a year, Brenda Hurtado, president and COO of The Point Group, tells SHN.

“Seniors play such a huge part in the economic aspect of the country, so having those insights and deep expertise is what led us to start saying we want to invest and work with someone who really understands,” Hurtado says.

Thanks to the investment, Wilbins says Forté’s 14-person team will be able to offer a broader range of in-house marketing and creative services, and therefore become even more competitive in the senior living space. The Point Group’s digital capabilities also prove exciting, she says, as they will aid not only in serving existing clients on a greater scale, but also makes possible working with larger clients with more complex needs.

“We can be more successful with the abilities we now bring to the table,” Wilbins says. “This partnership does provide us the opportunity to scale up with existing clients and be more active and visible in senior industry forums.”

The addition to The Point Group’s approximately 40-person staff, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, allows for further expertise and the promise of expansion, Hurtado says. And despite the acquisition, Forté clients will continue with the same account team, but have the opportunity to draw from The Point Group’s insights and services.

“The goal is to be better advisers and consultants about how to be more effective,” she says.

Written by Kourtney Liepelt