Brunner acquires AdSkate in AI marketing analytics push

Brunner has acquired AdSkate, adding an artificial intelligence marketing analytics platform to the independent Pittsburgh agency.

The deal brings AdSkate's technology and staff into Brunner's operations. The platform will continue serving existing customers while also being deployed across Brunner's client base. The purchase is also expected to support new services focused on creative testing, predictive performance modelling, audience insights and campaign optimisation.

Independent agencies of Brunner's size have been less active than large holding groups in acquiring artificial intelligence and marketing technology companies, making the move notable in a market where larger networks have invested heavily in data and analytics assets.

Founded in 1989, Brunner has more than 150 employees and more than 30 clients. Its roster includes Aerie, Church's Texas Chicken, Fred Rogers Institute and Mitsubishi North America.

Developed in Pittsburgh and rooted in the Carnegie Mellon innovation ecosystem, AdSkate focuses on assessing how advertising creative is likely to perform before launch. Its system analyses images, video, messaging and audience segments to identify which elements are linked to engagement and conversion.

Leadership changes

As part of the transaction, Akaash Ramakrishnan will join Brunner as Senior Director, AI and Innovation. Shreyas Venugopalan, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at AdSkate, will become AI and Technology Consultant at Brunner, while Max Rosen, Creative Technology Specialist at AdSkate, will join as Creative Technologist.

The acquisition reflects growing demand from marketers for clearer guidance on how campaigns are performing and why. Across the sector, companies are weighing how to use artificial intelligence tools without adding to the volume of raw data and dashboards already available to marketing teams.

Kevin Amos outlined Brunner's rationale for the deal.

"Marketing is entering a new era where creative intelligence is becoming just as important as media intelligence," said Kevin Amos, Partner and Chief Media and Data Officer at Brunner. "Today's CMOs aren't asking for more data; they're asking for better answers. AdSkate has built an innovative platform that helps marketers understand not only what is performing, but why it is performing. By bringing AdSkate into the Brunner family, we will help clients make smarter decisions, move faster, optimize campaigns with greater confidence, and maximize the impact of every marketing dollar."

AdSkate has worked with brands including Infosys, Abbott Labs and Illinois Lottery, along with other healthcare, consumer and agency clients. Those relationships will continue after the acquisition.

Pittsburgh roots

The deal also links two companies with strong ties to Pittsburgh. Brunner has been based in the city for decades, while AdSkate emerged from the local technology scene with leadership and technical connections to Carnegie Mellon.

That local backdrop matters as agencies and brands look for ways to combine creative work with software-led analysis. Pittsburgh has sought to build a reputation beyond traditional industry, with artificial intelligence and robotics helping shape its newer business identity.

Ramakrishnan said the transaction gives AdSkate a larger platform within an established agency.

"From the beginning, AdSkate was built around the belief that AI could help marketers make better decisions and create more impactful work," said Akaash Ramakrishnan, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at AdSkate. "Brunner shares that vision. This partnership allows us to scale our technology, accelerate innovation, and bring powerful new capabilities to brands looking to compete in an increasingly complex marketplace. Together, we can help marketers move faster, learn faster, and achieve stronger business results."

The combination is intended to give clients more detailed analysis of ad performance and the factors behind it, especially across creative assets. That includes examining how specific visual, textual and audience variables influence campaign outcomes, rather than measuring results only after a campaign has ended.

Albert Thompson, who uses the platform outside the two companies, described the appeal of that approach.

"AdSkate's ability to break down ad performance and attributes is truly empowering," said Albert Thompson, Managing Digital Director at Walton Isaacson. "It provides insights that simply are not available at scale."