Hurrdat Acquires Canary & Coal, Adding Traditional Advertising, Direct Mail, and Out-of-Home Capabilities to Its Full-Service Marketing Ecosystem
Omaha-based agency will operate as Canary & Coal, a Hurrdat Company, effective April 1, 2026
OMAHA, NE (March 31, 2026) — Hurrdat, LLC, a vertically integrated marketing, media and technology company based in Omaha, Nebraska, today announced the acquisition of Canary & Coal, a strategic digital and traditional marketing agency owned and operated by Cheri Duryea since 2019.
The acquisition expands Hurrdat’s capabilities to include traditional media buying, out-of-home advertising, and direct mail, complementing its existing portfolio of digital marketing, SEO, paid media, public relations, creative, web development, podcasting and events. Canary & Coal will continue operating using its established name, as “Canary & Coal, a Hurrdat Company”, with the same team in place, ensuring a seamless experience for existing clients. Duryea will join Hurrdat’s leadership team as Vice President of Media Buying & Strategy.
Hurrdat and Canary & Coal have a shared history in the Omaha market. The two organizations have crossed paths on accounts and in the community for years, collaborating on marquee accounts, including the Omaha Storm Chasers, Union Omaha FC, Edwards Auto Group and others. That familiarity made the transition a logical evolution rather than a cold acquisition.
The move follows a model Hurrdat has utilized before. In its earlier acquisition of Lukas Partners public relations firm, the company retained the existing brand and team, integrating operations while successfully preserving the client relationships and expertise that made the agency a strategic fit with Hurrdat’s integrated marketing, media, and technology ecosystem.
With more than 25 years of integrated marketing experience, Duryea has led strategic marketing initiatives across financial services, real estate, retail, technology, franchise relations, healthcare and nonprofit sectors for local and national brands. She founded Duryea Strategic Marketing in 2013, building a client base rooted in direct response, media buying, and measurable campaign execution. She acquired Canary & Coal in 2019 to expand the agency’s social media, digital, and public relations capabilities.
The Canary & Coal team will join Hurrdat’s full-scale agency operation, gaining access to Hurrdat’s back-office infrastructure, project management systems, and a deep bench of expert marketing professionals across disciplines. For the Canary & Coal team, the acquisition provides a strong foundation within a larger organization while preserving the work they do best.
For Hurrdat, the acquisition fills a gap. While the company has built deep capabilities in digital marketing, SEO, content and media production, Hurrdat has often partnered with other local agencies for its clients’ larger traditional and out-of-home advertising needs. In recent years Duryea has been the consistent choice of partner for OOH advertising needs because of Canary and Coal’s consistency in results and dependability with clients. Bringing that work in-house allows Hurrdat to offer clients a complete marketing solution under one roof, from search engine optimization to billboard campaigns, podcast sponsorships to direct mail.
“Cheri and I have been in each other’s orbit for years. We’ve worked alongside one another on shared clients, sat across the table on community projects and referred business back and forth through the years. At some point, the question stopped being ‘if’ and became ‘when,’” said Bill Hipsher, President & Owner of Hurrdat, LLC. “Cheri brings a level of experience and client trust that simply can’t be replicated. This gives our clients a true full-service option — and gives Cheri’s team the resources and infrastructure to do even more of what they already do exceptionally well.”
“This move offers our clients a broader range of capabilities and a larger, more specialized team, all while maintaining the same personalized approach they’ve come to expect,” said Cheri Duryea, Vice President of Media Buying & Strategy, Canary & Coal, a Hurrdat Company. “Having worked alongside Hurrdat for many years, this transition feels like a natural fit and will be seamless for our clients, who will continue working with their same trusted Canary & Coal team. I am excited for what this next chapter brings for our team and clients.”
About Hurrdat
Hurrdat, LLC is a vertically integrated marketing, media, sports and technology company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. The Hurrdat ecosystem includes Hurrdat Marketing (full-service digital and traditional agency), Lukas Partners (public relations and communications), Hurrdat Media (a podcast network with 150+ shows including the Hurrdat Sports, Hail Varsity, and Hurrdat ONE networks), Hurrdat Brand Goods (apparel and merchandise), Hurrdat Sports Bar & Grill (sports entertainment venues), and Hurrdat Innovations (AI and marketing technology R&D). For more information, visit hurrdat.com.
About Canary & Coal, a Hurrdat Company
Canary & Coal, a Hurrdat Company, provides strategic planning, traditional media buying, out-of-home advertising, direct mail, creative development, social media, and public relations services to clients across financial services, real estate, retail, technology, healthcare, and nonprofit sectors. For more information, visit canaryandcoal.com.
Media Contact: Joan Lukas, Vice President, Lukas Partners, A Hurrdat Company
[email protected]
