Flock and Rally marks 15 years with national honors, team growth
September 9, 2026
Columbia-based integrated marketing and communications agency marks milestone year with statewide and national recognition, individual honors and new hires
Flock and Rally, a women-owned and women-led integrated marketing and communications agency based in Columbia, S.C., is rounding out its 15th anniversary year with continued momentum, including statewide and national industry awards, individual honors for members of its team and the addition of two new employees.
Founded in 2010, Flock and Rally has grown into an award-winning integrated marketing and communications agency serving clients across South Carolina and beyond. Over the past 15 years, the agency has earned more than 100 industry awards recognizing its work in public relations, advertising, branding, marketing and integrated communications.
“As we round out our 15th anniversary year, I’m incredibly proud of what our team continues to accomplish,” said Merritt McNeely, CEO of Flock and Rally. “We get to do meaningful work for great clients, and these honors reflect the creativity, collaboration and hard work our team brings to that work every day. It’s especially rewarding to see that work recognized across so many different industries and disciplines.”
National and Industry Recognition
Flock and Rally earned four honors at the South Carolina Public Relations Society of America’s 2026 Mercury Awards. The agency received Awards of Excellence for the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Countdown to Coverage campaign and OneSpartanburg’s Take a Bite Out of the ‘Burg campaign, along with Awards of Merit for the Columbia Food & Wine Festival and PalmettoPride’s SC Sweep campaign.
Flock and Rally also received a National ADDY from the American Advertising Federation for the South Carolina State Fair’s 2025 commercial and was named one of S.C. Biz’s Top Minority-Owned Businesses for 2026.
Individual Honors
Several members of Flock and Rally’s team also earned individual honors this year.
• Merritt McNeely, CEO, was named among Columbia Business Monthly’s 50 Most Influential People, recognizing her leadership in South Carolina’s business community.
• Olivia Hyatt, vice president of strategy, was named a 2026 South Carolina Woman in Business by Columbia Business Monthly.
• Mary Kate Korpita, vice president of client engagement, was named among S.C. Biz News’ 2026 Top 100 Women.
• Larkin Belton, senior communications strategist, was named among Columbia Business Monthly’s 2026 Best and Brightest 35 and Under
• Aaliyah Jones, senior communications strategist, was named among Columbia Business Monthly’s 2026 Best and Brightest 35 and Under
View a full list of Flock and Rally’s awards here: https://www.flockandrally.com/awards(opens in new tab).
New Hires
Flock and Rally expanded its team this year, welcoming Meg Jerome and Holly Poag.
• Meg Jerome, integrated media coordinator, supports Flock and Rally’s paid media services and advertising strategy. Before joining the agency, she worked as a digital account manager and research analyst at WLTX and as a junior agent and new faces director at DeAbreu Modeling Agency. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s in retailing and a concentration in fashion merchandising.
• Holly Poag, public relations specialist, supports clients through strategic communications, media relations, story pitching and crisis communications planning. Before joining Flock and Rally, she served as strategic communications manager at Coker University and worked as the Lexington County beat reporter for The State newspaper. She earned her bachelor’s in journalism and mass communications from the University of South Carolina and her master’s in business administration from Coker University.
“Our people have always been at the heart of Flock and Rally, and continuing to build a strong, talented team is an important part of where we’re headed next,” McNeely said. “Meg and Holly each bring valuable experience and fresh perspectives to the agency, and we’re excited to have them on board as we continue to grow and evolve.”
As Flock and Rally rounds out this milestone year, the agency continues to build on 15 years of growth while looking ahead to its next chapter of creative, strategic work for clients across South Carolina and beyond. View a full list of Flock and Rally’s team here: https://www.flockandrally.com/about(opens in new tab).
About Flock and Rally: Integrated Communications & Marketing
Flock and Rally is a women-owned and led integrated marketing and communications agency based in Columbia, South Carolina. The firm blends branding, public relations, marketing, traditional advertising, digital advertising, social media and more into campaigns for a diverse base of clients, ranging from regional nonprofits to large-scale businesses across South Carolina and beyond. Serving industry sectors ranging from lifestyle and tourism to business, technology, real estate, higher education, government, economic development and more, Flock and Rally’s mission is to rally the community around great ideas. Learn more at www.flockandrally.com(opens in new tab).
