Cooper PR Firm, Directions Design Join in Merger By SLAV KANDYBA Staff Reporter A high-profile Valley public relations firm and an advertising company have joined forces in a merger. Now known as Cooper-Beavers, the company formed when Cooper Communications and Directions Design Group, both based in Woodland Hills, decided to combine. It took effect May 1, but the companies did not formally announce their merger until a few weeks ago. The new company will debut a new Web site, www.cooperbeavers.com, on July 15. The firms will operate under one name, but retain their current offices and employees. “There’s a good fit we sort of completed each other,” said Martin M. Cooper (photo), owner and president of Cooper Communications, who will now have the post of chairman within Cooper-Beavers. Tracy Beavers, who founded and has run Directions Design Group since 1996, will serve as president of the new company. Cooper was a client of Beavers’ firm, and that’s how the two got to know each other about four years ago. “(Cooper) was a client of mine and a happy one,” Beavers said. The newly formed Cooper-Beavers has 18 employees in offices in the Valley and Las Vegas, and between Cooper’s and Beavers’ businesses, have 25 clients.
