# MARTIN*

> MARTIN* is a Richmond-based, full-service creative agency that turns brand problems into campaigns built to travel through culture. Founded in 1965 and now part of Interpublic Group, it combines advertising, strategy, design, social, PR, entertainment, production, media and data analytics for large consumer brands including GEICO, UPS, OREO, CarMax, TIAA and Papa Johns. Its sharpest distinction is an operating idea - fight invisibility - backed by a record of rebuilding its own culture after a 2017 leadership crisis and measuring fame against business results.

- **Founded:** 1965
- **Headquarters:** Richmond, United States
- **Founders:** David N. Martin (Co-founder), George Woltz (Co-founder)
- **Products:** Integrated advertising, Strategic planning and decision sciences, Cultural Impact Lab, Martin Design, Martin Entertainment
- **Notable:** Created 'Virginia is for Lovers' in 1969; the slogan entered the Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame in 2009., Helped build the GEICO Gecko into a long-running advertising asset and reshaped humor in the insurance category., Named Adweek U.S. Agency of the Year in both 2020 and 2021.

## Products & services

- **Integrated advertising** — Brand platforms and campaigns across television, digital, social, outdoor and direct response.
- **Strategic planning and decision sciences** — Audience intelligence, cultural analysis, consumer research, measurement and performance strategy.
- **Cultural Impact Lab** — PR and cultural intelligence spanning media relations, newsjacking, sponsorships, celebrity partnerships and experiential activations.
- **Martin Design** — Brand identity, packaging, environments and campaign design; client investment in the practice rose 750% under its expanded design leadership by 2025.
- **Martin Entertainment** — Branded entertainment and creator-led work designed to compete with programming rather than interrupt it.
- **Content and production** — Social-first content, photography, video, motion design, post-production and rapid-response production.
- **AI-enabled creative workflow** — Predictive audience intelligence and tools intended to speed and scale production while preserving brand distinctiveness and performer safeguards.

## Achievements

- Created 'Virginia is for Lovers' in 1969; the slogan entered the Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame in 2009.
- Helped build the GEICO Gecko into a long-running advertising asset and reshaped humor in the insurance category.
- Named Adweek U.S. Agency of the Year in both 2020 and 2021.
- Named Ad Age Agency of the Year in 2023.
- Named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies in 2023, 2024 and 2026.
- Reported 50% growth over five years during Kristen Cavallo's first CEO tenure.
- Raised its pitch win rate from below 20% in 2017 to above 80% in 2019, alongside nearly 10% revenue growth in 2019.
- UPS cultural work delivered more than 4 billion impressions, including 1.7 billion earned impressions around New York Fashion Week.
- Exceeded its production-diversity pledge, reaching 68% underrepresented directorial and editorial talent in 2022.
- Won a 2026 AIA Virginia Merit Award for the collaborative redesign of its Richmond 3West Wing.

## Latest updates

- **2026-08** — MARTIN* won Subway's U.S. creative agency-of-record business, pairing two brands founded in 1965.
- **2026-07** — The GloRilla remix of the Reese's Puffs song was named Ad Age readers' best campaign of July 2026.
- **2026-04** — Kristen Cavallo returned as CEO as Danny Robinson retired after 21 years at the agency to pursue an artist residency in France.
- **2026-03** — Fast Company ranked MARTIN* No. 9 among its most innovative advertising and marketing companies for scaling AI workflows with human and performer safeguards.
- **2025-02** — Henrique Santiago was promoted to head of Martin Design after client investment in the practice increased 750%.
- **2025-04** — Project Yellow Light released 'Love Story,' a long-form film about distracted driving created with MARTIN*.

## Links

- Website: https://www.martinagency.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/themartinagency/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/martinagency
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martinagency/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MartinAgency/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/martin
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-23