Matt Upshaw Acquires Theatrical Advertising Agency Serino Coyne

The move puts the firm under the private ownership of its longtime CEO.

March 16, 2026 By Logan Culwell-Block

Matt Upshaw, current CEO of theatrical advertising firm Serino Coyne, has assumed independent ownership of the company following a sale from Omnicom. The agency will keep its name while moving to a new, custom-designed home at 1450 Broadway beginning in April, also holding on to 100% of its current workforce.

Upshaw has been at the helm of the group since 2019. He joined the firm in 2007 as an assistant account executive, moving up to vice president in 2015, and managing director in 2018 before taking on his current role.

“The core driver behind this transition is, and always has been, the extraordinary people combining decades of invaluable, front-line expertise who animate this organization," says Upshaw in a statement. "The live entertainment landscape is more dynamic and more competitive than it’s ever been. Audiences today discover culture across feeds, streets, and screens—and the next generation craves in-person experiences that foster genuine connection. Serino Coyne is uniquely positioned at that intersection. Independence gives us the agility to move faster, think bolder, and double down on what we do best: crafting the strategies that help extraordinary experiences find the audiences they deserve.”

The firm was founded in 1977 by Nancy Coyne and Matthew Serino, ultimately re-defining the advertising landscape within the Broadway and entertainment industries. Current clients include Wicked, The Outsiders, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Proof, Bug, Galileo, Manhattan Theatre Club, Capital One Entertainment, Gatsby: An American Myth, Giulia, Particle Fever, Begin Again, Basura, MoMA, New York Philharmonic, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Central Park Conservancy, BMI, and more.

“What Nancy Coyne and Matthew Serino understood in 1977 was radical at the time: that live entertainment deserved the same caliber of marketing as any consumer brand," continues Upshaw. "That insight built an industry. What we understand now is equally important—that audiences aren’t simply bought, they’re crafted. Built through insight, imagination, and intention. The way people discover and engage with culture has transformed, and we intend to lead that transformation."

Upshaw's pre-Serino Coyne career includes five years serving in the United States Navy and work in civil engineering and with the National Security Agency.

Visit SerinoCoyne.com.