Calypso Communications: Portsmouth Marketing Agency Profile

Calypso Communications is a Portsmouth, New Hampshire marketing and branding agency founded by Kevin Stickney, with a roughly 20-year history serving energy, finance and healthcare clients. Matter Communications acquired it on March 3, 2020, as its seventh office nationwide and fourth in New England. Calypso's PR, branding and web design team now works inside Matter, which announced 2026 leadership promotions in February and a Clear Channel Outdoor win in March.

Originally published June 2012. Updated November 2, 2026.

In this profile

1. What are the key facts about Calypso Communications?
2. What is Calypso Communications?
3. Who owns Calypso Communications?
4. Who leads Calypso Communications?
5. How did Calypso Communications develop?
6. What does Calypso Communications do?
7. Which clients has Calypso Communications worked with?
8. What recognition surrounds Calypso Communications?
9. What is the latest Calypso and Matter news?
10. How does Calypso compare with other marketing agencies?

What is Calypso Communications?

Calypso is a Portsmouth, New Hampshire marketing and branding agency that grew into one of the city's best-known PR and creative shops. In its acquisition release Matter described a 20-year history of serving clients worldwide in several high-profile industries, including energy, finance and healthcare. Its team combined PR, branding and web design, which Stickney said would strengthen Matter's go-to-market approach as a provider of fully integrated programs for businesses in all categories.

Today Calypso is best understood as a regional marketing agency whose team, clients and skills moved into a larger integrated agency. That makes it a useful example of how independent New England shops joined growing networks in the early 2020s.

Who owns Calypso Communications?

Matter Communications announced the acquisition on March 3, 2020, per its Business Wire release, titled as a strategic expansion into New Hampshire's Seacoast. The deal marked Matter's seventh office nationwide and fourth in New England, according to Agility PR. The release also said the new Portsmouth office presented an opportunity to attract local PR, marketing and creative professionals to support Matter's growth. Terms were not disclosed. The Boston Globe covered the deal as part of founder Scott Signore's expanding agency group.

Date	Ownership milestone	Source
About 2000	Calypso founded in Portsmouth by Kevin Stickney, per the release's 20-year history	Business Wire
March 3, 2020	Matter Communications acquires Calypso; terms not disclosed	Business Wire; Agility PR

Who leads Calypso Communications?

Kevin Stickney founded Calypso, and Houssam Aboukhater was named managing partner in the acquisition coverage. Matter's founder and CEO, Scott Signore, said Calypso had long been a standout of Portsmouth's PR and marketing community and that its PR, branding and web design professionals complemented Matter's integrated marketing team. At Matter, Signore is principal and CEO, and the agency's 2026 materials list Mandy Mladenoff as president.

Name	Role	Background
Kevin Stickney	Calypso founder	Founded the Portsmouth agency and said the deal would let Calypso's core competency strengthen Matter's go-to-market approach
Houssam Aboukhater	Managing partner at the 2020 acquisition	Named in the acquisition coverage
Sharon Delaney	Vice president of strategic marketing and client services in 2012	Quoted in EPR's June 2012 reporting on the Derry website redesigns
Scott Signore	Matter founder, principal and CEO	Founded Matter in 2003 and led the Calypso acquisition
Mandy Mladenoff	Matter president	Listed in Matter's 2026 leadership materials

How did Calypso Communications develop?

1. About 2000: Kevin Stickney founds Calypso in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
2. June 2012: Calypso takes on the website redesigns for Derry Medical Center and Derry Imaging Center, per EPR's reporting.
3. March 3, 2020: Matter Communications acquires Calypso, adding its seventh office nationally and fourth in New England.
4. September 2025: Matter opens a new Boston office.
5. February 10, 2026: Matter announces leadership promotions and strategic growth in Boston.
6. March 31, 2026: Clear Channel Outdoor selects Matter as agency of record for public relations and social media.

What does Calypso Communications do?

Matter described Calypso's team as PR, branding and web design professionals whose core competency would strengthen its integrated programs. The Calypso team served energy, finance and healthcare clients, and its 2012 work shows how it combined web design with patient-facing and marketing messaging.

• Marketing strategy and branding
• Web design and development
• Public relations for energy, finance and healthcare clients
• Integrated programs delivered with Matter's creative and marketing teams

In June 2012, EPR reported that Calypso would redesign the websites of Derry Medical Center and Derry Imaging Center in New Hampshire. The medical center, nearing 50 years in business, wanted a patient portal and a page for its wellness programs, and Delaney said the imaging center's site would highlight its technology and prices.

Which clients has Calypso Communications worked with?

Client	Work	Source
Derry Medical Center and Derry Imaging Center	Website redesigns, patient portal and wellness programs page, 2012	EPR reporting, June 2012
Energy, finance and healthcare clients	Sectors named in the 2020 acquisition release as Calypso's high-profile industries	Business Wire

These are the clients and sectors named in public reporting. They document work at specific dates, not a current roster, so ask Matter for current references.

What recognition surrounds Calypso Communications?

Year	Recognition	Source
2020	Matter's CEO called Calypso a long-standing standout of Portsmouth's PR and marketing community when announcing the acquisition	Business Wire
2020	Described as having a 20-year history serving worldwide clients in energy, finance and healthcare	Business Wire

EPR adds awards to this table as they are announced and sourced.

What is the latest Calypso and Matter news?

Calypso's work now sits inside Matter, so recent news is at the Matter network level rather than under the Calypso name.

Date	News	Source
May 12, 2026	Matter announces its Precision division for small and emerging brands	Matter Communications
March 31, 2026	Clear Channel Outdoor selects Matter as agency of record for PR and social media	Matter Communications
February 10, 2026	Matter announces leadership promotions and strategic growth in Boston	Business Wire
January 27, 2026	Matter hosts a B2B buyer engagement workshop with AMA Boston and Go-To-Market Pros	Matter Communications
March 3, 2020	Matter acquires Calypso in Portsmouth	Business Wire

EPR updates this table when Matter or the former Calypso team announces a client win, hire or award.

How does Calypso compare with other marketing agencies?

Calypso is a small regional marketing and branding shop that became part of a larger integrated agency. EPR's marketing hub and its guide to choosing a marketing agency explain how to match an agency to the job, and the profile of Matter Communications covers its parent.

Firm	Focus	EPR profile
Calypso Communications	Portsmouth marketing and branding agency, now part of Matter	This page
Matter Communications	Newburyport-based integrated agency that acquired Calypso	Matter Communications
BarkleyOKRP	Kansas City independent full-service advertising and marketing	BarkleyOKRP
McKinney	Durham creative, media and influencer agency	McKinney
Integrate Agency	Houston and Austin digital marketing agency	Integrate Agency

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