• March 21, 2008

AVO Group has merged with The1stMovement, a tech-focused firm based in Pasadena, Calif., that provides partners like AKQA and TBWA/Chiat/Day with assets and tools to support their digital campaigns.

Anne Van Orsdel, AVO Group's president and founder, has been named managing director and vice president of client services at The1stMovement. She will operate out of the agency's Denver office under the leadership of CEO Ming Chan. Together, the companies' clients include brands like Adobe, E! Online, Style Network and Viacom.

Van Orsdel said that it's the combination of creative insights--a collective "finger on the pulse of what's happening in the interactive world"--and a strong technical aptitude that makes the new firm such a strong asset for clients and other agencies. "We are able to bring a creative 'geek factor' to our clients without being overly technical, but we are also able to provide recommendations and execute on solutions where others fall short," Van Orsdel said.

--Tameka Kee