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The Martin Agency is one of the top American creative advertising agencies. A holding of the Interpublic Group of Companies, Martin is long-known for helping brands "impact culture" in the United States and internationally. The company's chief executive officer is Danny Robinson and its chief creative officer is Jerry Hoak.

History

The Martin Agency was founded as Martin & Woltz in Richmond, Virginia in 1965 by David N. Martin and George Woltz.

The development of the "Virginia is for Lovers" tagline, one of the most recognized taglines in the tourism industry and beyond, launched the trajectory of the agency. Written in 1969 by copywriter Robin McLaughlin, the slogan entered the Madison Avenue Walk of Fame in 2009.

Martin and Woltz divided the firm in 1975 and Martin renamed the company The Martin Agency.

In 1986, Scali, McCabe, Sloves purchased a majority interest in The Martin Agency. Scali, McCabe, Sloves was acquired by Lowe Group in 1993. The Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG) bought controlling interest in The Martin Agency in 1994. The Martin Agency was previously under McCann Worldgroup and is currently part of the MullenLowe network at IPG.

The agency’s current client roster (as of February 2024) includes GEICO (since 1995), OREO, Bud Light Seltzer, UPS, Google, Gold Bond, Hanes, Papa Johns, Unilever’s AXE brand, RITZ, DoorDash, CarMax, Hanes, TIAA, Royal Caribbean, Gap Inc.’s Old Navy, Sanofi, ScottsMiracle-Gro, Virginia Tourism, Busch Light, Nerf, Clue, Santander, Donate Life America (pro-bono), Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey, Timberland PRO, UScellular, and others.

The Martin Agency and GEICO are credited with pioneering a new way of advertising in the insurance category in the early 1990s, spawning a list of imitators in the category.

Previous agency clients include: Walmart, Buffalo Wild Wings, Discover, NASCAR, Mercedes-Benz, Pizza Hut, Saab, Wrangler, CarFax, Subway, The Learning Channel, the American Cancer Society and others.

In 2009, Adweek named The Martin Agency as its "U.S. Agency of the Year."

In 2020, Adweek again named The Martin Agency as its "U.S. Agency of the Year.". Danny Robinson became the Agency's Chief Creative Officer in this year as well.

In 2021, Adweek named The Martin Agency as its "U.S. Agency of the Year," only the third agency to win the honor in back-to-back years. Ad Age named The Martin Agency #8 on its annual A-List.

In 2023, Ad Age named The Martin Agency as its "Agency of the Year."

Notable campaigns

• Virginia is for Lovers
• Nickelodeon "Because We Can"
• GEICO Cavemen
• GEICO Hump Day
• The GEICO Gecko
• FreeCreditScore.com
• DoorDash #OpenForDelivery
• UPS What can brown do for you?
• GEICO Best Of GEICO
• Solo Stove "Go Smokeless" with Snoop Dogg

Coinbase Super Bowl ad controversy

In February 2022, former Martin Agency CEO Kristen Cavallo criticized Coinbase CEO Brian Robinson for not acknowledging the role that agencies had played in the creation of its Super Bowl ad.

The incident prompted a wider dialogue within the industry about how agencies are treated.

Awards

• Adweek U.S. Agency of the Year: 2021, 2020, 2009
• Ad Age A-List: 2021, 2010, 2009, 2008
• Fast Company Most Innovative Companies in Advertising: 2023
• Ad Age Agency of the Year: 2023

References

1. "About". February 13, 2024.
2. "THE MARTIN AGENCY PROMOTES DANNY ROBINSON TO CEO". The Martin Agency. January 30, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
3. "The Martin Agency Names Jerry Hoak Its New Chief Creative Officer". January 1, 2024.
4. ^ LLovio, Louis (October 3, 2012). "David N. Martin, the Godfather of Richmond advertising, dies at 82". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
5. Bond, Jane and Marvin (April 29, 2019). "The story behind "Virginia Is for Lovers"". Recreation News. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
6. "Scali, McCabe, Sloves". Ad Age. September 15, 2003. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
7. Griner, David (February 5, 2019). "How Geico Became the One Advertiser It's OK to Love". Retrieved December 7, 2021.
8. ^ "The Martin Agency is Adweek's 2020 U.S. Agency of the Year". December 7, 2020.
9. "Martin Agency Names Danny Robinson as CCO". August 19, 2020.
10. ^ Fleming, Jameson (December 6, 2021). "The Martin Agency Is Adweek's 2021 US Agency of the Year". Retrieved December 6, 2021.
11. ^ "The Martin Agency charged ahead during the pandemic". Ad Age. June 7, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
12. ^ "The Martin Agency proves the AOR is alive and well". Ad Age. March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
13. Rob Walker. "Pop-Culture Evolution" The New York Times. April 15, 2007. Retrieved February 4, 2012.
14. "Making An Impression: 10 of The Martin Agency's Best Ads". June 26, 2015.
15. Stuart Elliott. "Geico's Lizard Offers a New Message of Reassurance" The New York Times. February 18, 2009. Retrieved February 4, 2012.
16. "The 25 Best Ads of 2020". December 14, 2020.
17. "UPS unveils 'What can brown do for you?' ad campaign".
18. "Geico: The Best of Geico by the Martin Agency".
19. "Martin Agency, Solo Stove behind Snoop Dogg going smokeless". The Martin Agency. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
20. Griner, David; Fleming, Jameson (February 21, 2022). "Martin CEO Publicly Calls Out Coinbase Over QR Super Bowl Ad". Retrieved February 22, 2022.
21. "Coinbase's Super Bowl ad controversy sparks call for change on how agencies are treated". Ad Age. February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
22. Eleftheria Parpis. "The Martin Agency: US Ad Agency of the Year 2009"] Adweek. January 25, 2010. Retrieved January 30, 2012.
23. "Agency A-List".
24. "Agency A-List 2008".
25. "The most innovative companies in advertising in 2023". March 2, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2024.

External links

• Martinagency.com
• "Clan of the Caveman" by Linda Tischler for FastCompany.com
• "Agency Profile: The Martin Agency" by Ignacio Oreamuno for ihaveanidea.com

• Advertising agencies of the United States
• Companies based in Richmond, Virginia
• Interpublic Group
• American companies established in 1965
• 1965 establishments in Virginia