IKON is an Integrated Marketing Services company that has been serving clients since 1972. When IKON opened its doors in November of that year, it was operating as a full-service advertising and public relations agency with a mission to provide a full range of advertising, public relations and promotional services for businesses and industries in the local Boston Metropolitan area. The goal was to be a fresh, symbol of change for its clients.
In the early days of IKON, there were 30 advertising and PR agencies in the Greater Boston area (twenty-eight were named after founders or partners). IKON chose to be different. Dan Sweeney was a co-founder of IKON in 1972, but took over full ownership of the agency in 1974. Located in Wellesley, Massachusetts, IKON’s client base throughout the years has included companies and subsidiaries from local, national and international organizations across a wide range of industries.
While much has changed since 1972, including the emergence of the web, mobile devices and a whole host of technologies and innovations that have dramatically transformed marketing and communications today, IKON has endured. By always being cognizant of the traditional foundations which marketing and communications strategies are based, IKON has endured by always remaining on the leading edge, building and executing pioneering strategies and campaigns for clients and their products and services. IKON provides TV, radio, print and web advertising, web marketing, social media strategies and programs, website development, search engine optimization (SEO), media buying strategies, design, and production services for its clients.
The reason for the name is as unique as the company it represents. “IKON” is derived from the Greek word “eikon” or Image. In ancient days, an icon referred to religious symbols, such as statues, sculptures and paintings that depicted gods, nobility or leaders of the Byzantine, Roman, Greek and Christian empires. In today’s world, icons are everywhere, generally representing short-thoughts — computer application logos, brand images or glyphs. They ARE the companies, products and services they represent.
Today, IKON remains distinctive among marketing agencies in that we have never undergone a name change, a merger or an acquisition. The only thing that has changed at IKON are the leading edge skills and services it delivers. Even IKON’s mission remains as it was in 1972, to deliver cost-conscious creative programs for our clients.