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The Marketing Arm

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The Marketing Arm
IndustryMarketing & Advertising
Founded1992
FounderRay Clark [1]
ParentOmnicom Group
Websitewearetma.agency

TMA (The Marketing Arm) is a marketing and creative agency owned by Omnicom Group.

History

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Founded in 1993 by Ray Clark, a former ProServ and Talent Sports International executive,[1] The Marketing Arm was created as the event and corporate sports marketing division of Athletic Resource Management Inc. (ARM),[2] a Memphis-based sports agency headed by Jimmy Sexton[3] and Kyle Rote, Jr., a former professional soccer player in the NASL.[4]

In January 2023, Trina Roffino was promoted from TMA's president to CEO.

In September 2022, TMA updated its branding with new colors, fonts, designs, and a new web domain and social media handle, wearetma.agency. The rebrand was covered by Adweek.

In 2019, Andrew Robinson was promoted from TMA’s president to CEO.[5]

In 2016, Alcone, an Omnicom agency specializing in promotional, shopper and retail marketing, became a part of TMA.[6]

In March 2016, Platinum Rye Entertainment (PRE), a sports and entertainment marketing consultancy specializing in sourcing celebrity talent, became part of TMA.[7]

In 2011, Omnicom acquired Fanscape, a social media agency, and merged it into The Marketing Arm.[8]

In October 2005, mobile marketing agency Ipsh! joined The Marketing Arm.[9] Ipsh! was founded in June 2001 by Nihal Mehta and Mike Jelley.[10] Ipsh creates and manages mobile marketing campaigns including SMS, MMS, mobile gaming, application development, mobile websites, and media planning and buying.

In 2004, Los Angeles-based agency Davie Brown Entertainment, which was founded in 1985 and acquired by Omnicom in 2001,[11] joined The Marketing Arm. In 2006, Davie Brown's talent division created the Davie-Brown Index (DBI), a celebrity index that determines a celebrity’s ability to influence brand affinity and consumer purchase intent.[12]

In 2004, The Marketing Arm merged its sports consulting division with Millsport, a sports marketing firm owned by Omnicom,[13] to form an agency retaining the Millsport brand name.[14] Founded in 1975 by Jim Millman, Millsport used sports sponsorship as a branding tool.[15]

In 2003, The Marketing Arm joined event operations with U.S. Marketing & Promotions (Usmp), an Omnicom sister agency based in Torrance, Calif. founded by Jason Moskowitz and Michael Napoliello.[16] Usmp now serves as The Marketing Arm's event unit, specializing in field sales and experiential marketing.

Omnicom Group acquired The Marketing Arm[17] in June 1999.[18]

Operations

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The company lists offices in New York City; Los Angeles; Chicago; Dallas; Wilton, Connecticut; Irvine, California; London; Manchester; São Paulo; and Shanghai.[19] The agency self reports that it specializes in strategy and execution across sports and entertainment, experiential, celebrity and influencer, digital and social, shopper and promotion, and content production.[20]

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In late 2019, State Farm named TMA its new creative agency.[21] TMA’s first ad for the brand brought back Jake from State Farm in February 2020, with Kevin Miles cast as the new Jake.[22] TMA led the creative for State Farm’s first in-game Super Bowl spot in 2021, which featured Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Paul Rudd, and Drake, who served as Jake from State Farm’s stand-in.[23]

The agency is credited with creating the Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" promotion,[24] which has earned a Gold Lion at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.

In 2013, the agency won two Lions at Cannes for its work on the "Uncle Drew"[25] film for Pepsi Max.[26]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Published March 13, 2006. "The Marketing Arm founder tries to keep it fresh - SportsBusiness Daily | SportsBusiness Journal | SportsBusiness Daily Global". SportsBusiness Daily. Retrieved 2013-08-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "Athletic Resource Management, Inc.: Private Company Information - Businessweek". Investing.businessweek.com. Archived from the original on July 10, 2013. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
  3. ^ "Sexton has seen big changes in sports industry". TuscaloosaNews.com. 2011-01-30. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
  4. ^ Heitner, Darren (2008-09-23). "Agent Spotlight: Kyle Rote Jr". Sports Agent Blog. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
  5. ^ "Andrew Robinson". linkedin.com. 2019-05-01. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  6. ^ "Alcone Marketing Group". chiefmarketer.com. 2016-10-28. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  7. ^ "The Marketing Arm". chiefmarketer.com. 2016-10-28. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  8. ^ "Omnicom Revs Up 7.9%, Adds Fanscape To Its Digital Holdings". mediapost.com. 2011-04-19. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  9. ^ Cuneo, Alice Z. (2005-10-10). "Omnicom gets into mobile marketing with purchase of Ipsh | News - Advertising Age". Adage.com. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
  10. ^ "M-Commerce | BusinessWeek". Images.businessweek.com. Archived from the original on December 6, 2006. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
  11. ^ Fass, Allison (2001-09-11). "THE MEDIA BUSINESS - ADVERTISING - ADDENDA - Omnicom Acquires Davie Brown". The New York Times. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
  12. ^ "Omnicom Unit to Enter Game of Valuing Stars - WSJ.com". Online.wsj.com. 2006-02-13. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
  13. ^ Published March 6, 2000 (2000-03-06). [hhttps://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2000/03/06/No-Topic-Name/Omnicom-Buys-More-Of-Millsport/ "Omnicom buys more of Millsport - SportsBusiness Daily | SportsBusiness Journal | SportsBusiness Daily Global"]. SportsBusiness Daily. Retrieved 2013-08-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "Millsport Joins the Marketing Arm". Chief Marketer. 2004-08-18. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
  15. ^ "Omnicom buys more of Millsport". Sports Business Journal. July 14, 2025.
  16. ^ "GUERRILLA GROWS UP: USM&P has evolved from underdog to Big Dog". Chief Marketer. 2000-06-01. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
  17. ^ themarketingarm.com
  18. ^ Published June 21, 1999 (21 June 1999). "OMNICOM GROUP SET TO ACQUIRE THE MARKETING ARM - SportsBusiness Daily | SportsBusiness Journal | SportsBusiness Daily Global". SportsBusiness Daily. Retrieved 2013-08-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ "The Marketing Arm - Contact". themarketingarm.com. 2021-03-17. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  20. ^ "The Marketing Arm - More About Us (bottom of page)". themarketingarm.com. 2021-03-17. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  21. ^ "State Farm gives brand creative duties to the Marketing Arm, dealing blow to DDB | Ad Age". adage.com. 2019-11-12. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  22. ^ "The New 'Jake From State Farm' Has a Bigger Role, Including Soothing Spurned Bachelors". Muse by Clio. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  23. ^ Mendoza, Jordan. "Drake becomes stand-in for Jake from State Farm in Super Bowl ad and fans loved it". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  24. ^ "The Dallas Morning News Cheryl Hall column". Tmcnet.com. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
  25. ^ "Without Further Ado, Here's Pepsi Max's 'Uncle Drew' - AgencySpy". Mediabistro.com. 2012-05-21. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
  26. ^ Nudd, Tim (2013-06-22). "Winners Lists: Titanium & Integrated, Film, Film Craft and Branded Content". Adweek. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
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