Ketner Group Communications is now Aster Agency, a Hawke Media company. The B2B technology PR agency Jeff Ketner founded in Austin in 1990 joined Hawke Media in June 2026 and unveils its new name, brand, and website this month — same team, same retail tech expertise, with new capabilities in SEO, GEO, paid search, and web. Read the story of how we got here below, from Managing Director Catherine Seeds.
When Jeff Ketner and I started talking about his upcoming "semi-retirement" a few years ago, I knew in my heart that our agency was at a crossroads, and that something special (and big!) was ahead of us. We were starting a new chapter, and the time felt right to make some exciting changes, beginning with a new name, a new look, and a new logo.
But that wasn't all. I also knew this was our moment to set the agency up for future growth. It has been a very busy 12 months creating the new face of our agency, but I'm so proud to officially share some big news: Ketner Group is now Aster Agency, a Hawke Media company.
Launching Aster Agency, a Hawke Media company, formerly Ketner Group
We officially joined Hawke Media in June, and this month we're unveiling all of it, including our brand-new website. This was not a decision I took lightly, and I want to share why we chose this path and what it means for our clients, our media friends, and our team.
I joined Ketner Group in 2002, and one of the biggest reasons was Jeff Ketner. If you know Mr. Ketner, you know exactly why I chose to hang my hat here! Jeff is a journalist turned PR pro who started the agency in Austin in 1990 as Ketner Barnes. (Fun fact: he first came to Austin in 1972 as a rock and roller, and he's still a pretty decent guitar player!) He built this agency on a simple idea: you can do exceptional work and still have a life. His line, "It's PR, not ER," shaped everything about how we hire, how we treat clients, and how we show up for reporters.
When I stepped into the CEO role in 2019, keeping that philosophy alive was my top priority. It's a big part of why people stay with us. Our average team tenure is five and a half years, and former teammates regularly come back! This mantra carried us through the dot-com bust, the 2008 recession, COVID, and the slowdown of 2022 and 2023.
A lot has changed in how B2B buyers discover, research, and choose technology vendors over the last few years. We needed to change with them.
Our clients needed more than PR, so we found a partner who could help us deliver it —Hawke Media
For most of our history, a great media relations program was enough to build a retail tech brand. A feature in Chain Store Age or Progressive Grocer, a smart analyst briefing, a strong showing at NRF, and the phone would ring. That still matters. But today your next customer is just as likely to ask ChatGPT or Perplexity for a shortlist of vendors before they ever read a trade story or visit your website.
If your brand doesn't show up in those AI-generated answers, you aren't in the consideration set. And earned media is the single biggest signal those engines rely on — Muck Rack’s analysis of more than 25 million links cited by ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini found that 84% of AI citations come from earned media, while paid and advertorial content accounts for 0.3%. PR and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) need to work together.
I kept hearing the same thing from clients and prospects. They were juggling a PR agency, an SEO shop, a paid media vendor, and a web team, and spending far too much time making all of them talk to each other. One prospect told me they wanted to replace three agencies with one partner. Are you feeling that same strain?
I had two choices. We could try to build SEO, GEO, paid search, and web capabilities from scratch, or we could join a team that already does those things exceptionally well. Hawke Media gave us the second option. Our clients now have access to Hawke's channel experts in SEO and GEO, paid search, web, and more, along with Hawke AI, their marketing analytics platform. Our retail tech team stays the same.
Hawke also felt like home. They live in the world of modern commerce just like we do, and they've helped scale more than 6,000 brands since 2013, including many of the retailers and brands our clients want to reach. Hawke was looking to grow into the technology side of commerce, and we were looking for a bigger bench. It was a natural fit for both of us.
There was a personal reason too. As Jeff stepped back from day-to-day leadership, I wanted to make sure this agency could keep growing and be passed on to the next generation without starting over. Joining Hawke gives us the resources and stability to do that.
The special meaning behind the name Aster Agency
When Kirsty Goodlett and I started thinking about a new name, we both knew it needed to reflect what this agency stands for and last long after any one of us.
So why Aster? Kirsty and I are both gardeners. We find our grounding with our hands in the dirt, nurturing things and watching them grow. The aster flower connects my Texas roots with Kirsty's home in Atlanta, and it's a hardy, late-blooming flower that thrives when others fade. That sounded a lot like us after more than three decades of weathering and succeeding through challenging times.
The name also comes from the Greek word astḗr, meaning "star," a symbol of wisdom, patience, and new beginnings. And it carries a subtle nod to the turn-of-the-century era of invention and Art Deco design, when technology and craftsmanship moved forward together.
We want Aster Agency to stand for that same balance: new technology paired with real human relationships.
Our new tagline sums it up nicely: grounded in relationships, built for what's next.
What this means for our clients from Ketner Group
If you work with us today, the people you know and trust are the people you'll keep working with. Kirsty and I remain hands-on with every account. Our media relationships, built over decades with the reporters and analysts who cover retail technology, stay right where they are. Our average client relationship runs more than 12 years, and we don't take that for granted. Over the years, we've had several clients bring us along to their next job. When a client takes you with them to their next company, that's the best compliment there is.
What changes is what we can do for you. Here's what Aster Agency brings to the table now:
- Integrated PR and GEO so your earned media also builds your visibility in AI search
- SEO, paid search, web, and digital marketing from Hawke Media's channel experts, coordinated by a team that already knows your business
- Reporting tied to outcomes that connects communications activity to pipeline and brand visibility
- Room to grow beyond retail tech into adjacent B2B technology markets, including fintech, hospitality tech, and supply chain
We've already started. One of our retail tech PR clients added Hawke's SEO and GEO program this year, and there has not been a learning curve. Our team already knew the company's messaging, audience, and goals, so the two programs worked together from the start.
What I'm most excited about is saying "Yes!" to more of what our clients ask for. For years, clients have come to us wanting help with search, paid media, and their websites. Now we can deliver it with a team we trust. It also opens new growth opportunities for our own team, which means a lot to me.
Rooted in gratitude: bringing our Ketner Group values with us
I'm deeply grateful to Jeff, my great friend and mentor, for building something worth carrying forward, and I'm thrilled he's still part of our team as a strategic advisor on several key client accounts. Thank you to Kirsty, who first knew us as a client before joining our team in 2019, for being my partner and friend through every step of this. And thank you to our awesome team for taking on all this change with the same grit and humor they bring to client work.
To our clients and media friends, many of you have been with us for years, and you're the reason this agency has lasted 35 of them. I love that the agency Jeff built now has a home where it can thrive for years to come. That feels really special.
Our promise hasn't changed: we'll make your job easier, make you look good, and make you laugh along the way.
If you're curious about how integrated PR and GEO could help your company show up when buyers are searching, let's talk. I'd love to hear from you.
I recently planted some asters in my backyard, right alongside all my other plants. They're a gorgeous shade of purple, and every time I see them, I'll think about this agency and the people, past and present, who have kept it growing. I can't wait to see what we grow together next!
