For 2nd year in row, Martin Agency is Adweek U.S. agency of the year

Richmond advertising firm The Martin Agency has been named Adweek’s U.S. agency of the year for the second time in a row, the publication announced Sunday night. It is only the third agency to achieve consecutive wins, according to Adweek.

Among the reasons for Martin’s 2021 win are its work for new accounts Terminix, Hasbro for Nerf, Clue and Monopoly, Anheuser Busch/Busch Light, Sabra, Snapchat and Coinbase in a year when the firm saw 15% growth in net new and organic revenue. The company’s ongoing major accounts include Geico, Old Navy, UPS, Oreo, Buffalo Wild Wings and CarMax. Another factor is its Cultural Impact Lab, “which seeks to understand what consumers are talking about in the moment and enter those conversations in organic ways,” Adweek’s announcement notes, influencing ad campaigns for clients.

Martin hired 53 creative staff members since November 2020, 37.9% of the agency’s total new hires. Of those hires, 55% are female and 35% are Black, Indigenous and other people of color.

“If 84% of ads are ignorable or not remembered, then we have to be in the 16% that are. That’s our responsibility to our clients,” CEO Kristen Cavallo said in an interview with Adweek. She has led Martin for the past four years.

In 2020, when many firms lost revenue due to the pandemic-fueled economic crisis, Martin saw 30% revenue growth.