The Marketing Arm

The Marketing Arm, commonly known as TMA, is an integrated marketing and creative agency within Omnicom Group. The agency was established in 1993 by Ray Clark as the event and corporate sports-marketing division of Athletic Resource Management Inc. (ARM), a Memphis-based sports agency associated with Jimmy Sexton and former North American Soccer League player Kyle Rote Jr. Its initial remit centered on using sporting events, sponsorships and related properties to help brands reach consumers and build commercial relationships. Omnicom acquired The Marketing Arm in June 1999, giving the agency access to a large international communications network and enabling it to broaden beyond its original sports-marketing base. During the following years, TMA expanded through combinations with other Omnicom agencies and specialist businesses. In 2003, it combined event operations with U.S. Marketing & Promotions, creating an event unit focused on field sales and experiential marketing. In 2004, its sports-consulting activities were merged with Omnicom-owned Millsport, although the resulting business retained the Millsport name. Also in 2004, Los Angeles entertainment agency Davie Brown Entertainment joined TMA. Davie Brown added expertise in celebrity representation and entertainment marketing and later developed the Davie-Brown Index, a system intended to assess the influence of public figures on brand affinity and purchase intent. TMA added further specialist capabilities through the incorporation of Ipsh!, a mobile-marketing agency, in 2005; the integration of social-media agency Fanscape after Omnicom acquired it in 2011; and the addition of Platinum Rye Entertainment and Alcone in 2016. These combinations expanded the agency's services from sponsorship and live events into mobile campaigns, social engagement, talent sourcing, retail marketing, shopper promotion and experiential programs. The agency describes its current work as spanning strategy and execution in sports and entertainment, experiential marketing, celebrity and influencer programs, digital and social media, shopper and promotional marketing, and content production. It has listed offices in major markets including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Wilton, Irvine, London, Manchester, São Paulo and Shanghai. Its client work has included large-scale consumer campaigns and brand platforms, including State Farm's advertising work, the return of the Jake from State Farm character, Pepsi Max's Uncle Drew property and Doritos' Crash the Super Bowl promotion. Leadership changed in 2019 when Andrew Robinson moved from president to chief executive officer. In January 2023, Trina Roffino was promoted from president to CEO. In September 2022, TMA introduced a refreshed visual identity, including new colors, typography, design treatments, website domain and social-media handle. The rebrand positioned the agency under the wearetma.agency identity while preserving its role as an Omnicom-owned specialist marketing business.

The Marketing Arm originated in 1993 as the event and corporate sports-marketing division of Athletic Resource Management Inc., a Memphis sports agency headed by Jimmy Sexton and Kyle Rote Jr. Ray Clark, who had previously worked for ProServ and Talent Sports International, founded the division. Its early model was based on helping companies use sports events, sponsorships and athlete-related properties as marketing assets. Omnicom Group acquired TMA in June 1999. The transaction placed the agency within one of the world's large marketing and communications groups and provided a platform for expansion into adjacent disciplines. In 2003, TMA combined its event operations with U.S. Marketing & Promotions, an Omnicom sister agency founded by Jason Moskowitz and Michael Napoliello. The resulting event operation focused on field sales and experiential marketing. TMA's sports-consulting division was merged with Omnicom-owned Millsport in 2004. Millsport, founded in 1975 by Jim Millman, specialized in using sports sponsorship as a branding and communications tool, and the combined sports business retained the Millsport name. That same year, Davie Brown Entertainment joined TMA. The Los Angeles agency, founded in 1985 and acquired by Omnicom in 2001, contributed entertainment marketing and celebrity expertise. Its talent division later created the Davie-Brown Index, introduced in 2006 as a celebrity-influence measurement intended to connect public-figure attributes with brand affinity and purchase intent. In October 2005, mobile-marketing agency Ipsh! joined TMA. Founded in 2001 by Nihal Mehta and Mike Jelley, Ipsh! worked across SMS, MMS, mobile games, applications, mobile websites and mobile media planning and buying. Omnicom's 2011 acquisition of Fanscape added social-media capabilities through an integration into TMA. In March 2016, Platinum Rye Entertainment became part of the agency, adding specialist celebrity and sports-entertainment talent sourcing. Alcone, an Omnicom agency focused on promotional, shopper and retail marketing, also became part of TMA in 2016. The agency's later work demonstrated its movement from traditional sports sponsorship into integrated brand platforms. TMA was credited with the Doritos Crash the Super Bowl promotion and received a Gold Lion at Cannes Lions for that work. Its Pepsi Max Uncle Drew film work won two Cannes Lions in 2013. In late 2019, State Farm appointed TMA as its creative agency. TMA's first State Farm advertisement revived the Jake from State Farm character in February 2020, with Kevin Miles playing the new Jake. The agency subsequently led State Farm's first in-game Super Bowl advertisement in 2021, featuring Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Paul Rudd and Drake. Andrew Robinson was promoted from president to CEO in 2019. Trina Roffino succeeded him after being promoted from president to CEO in January 2023. In September 2022, TMA unveiled a new brand identity and adopted the wearetma.agency domain and related social-media identity. The agency currently presents itself as an international marketing partner working across sports and entertainment, experiential, celebrity and influencer, digital and social, shopper and promotion, and content production. Listed office locations include New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Wilton, Irvine, London, Manchester, São Paulo and Shanghai.

• 2022

  Corporate rebrand

  [1]The Marketing Armen.wikipedia.org

  The agency introduced a refreshed identity and adopted the wearetma.agency web and social identity.

• 2016

  Platinum Rye Entertainment and Alcone join

  [1]The Marketing Armen.wikipedia.org

  TMA added celebrity-talent sourcing through Platinum Rye Entertainment and shopper, retail and promotional expertise through Alcone.

• 2011

  Fanscape integration

  [1]The Marketing Armen.wikipedia.org

  Omnicom acquired Fanscape and merged the social-media agency into TMA.

• 2005

  Ipsh! joins TMA

  [1]The Marketing Armen.wikipedia.org

  Mobile-marketing agency Ipsh! became part of TMA.

• 2004

  Sports and entertainment capabilities broaden

  [1]The Marketing Armen.wikipedia.org

  TMA's sports consulting activities were merged with Millsport, while Davie Brown Entertainment joined the agency.

• 2003

  Event operations expand

  [1]The Marketing Armen.wikipedia.org

  TMA joined event operations with U.S. Marketing & Promotions.

• 1999

  Omnicom acquisition

  [1]The Marketing Armen.wikipedia.org

  Omnicom Group acquired The Marketing Arm.

• 1993

  The Marketing Arm is founded

  [1]The Marketing Armen.wikipedia.org

  Ray Clark founded the agency as the event and corporate sports-marketing division of Athletic Resource Management.

A specialist integrated agency that connects brands with consumers through sports, entertainment, culture, talent, live experiences, digital channels and retail interactions.

• Marketing service · 1993

  Sports marketing and sponsorship

  TMA develops sports-related marketing strategies, sponsorship programs and brand partnerships. The capability grew from the agency's original event and corporate sports-marketing role and was later complemented by the Millsport sports-consulting business.

• Marketing service · 2003

  Experiential and event marketing

  The agency plans and executes live experiences, field-marketing programs, event operations and other consumer activations. Its event unit developed through the combination with U.S. Marketing & Promotions and is positioned around bringing brands into direct contact with consumers.

• Marketing service · 2004

  Celebrity and influencer marketing

  TMA connects brands with celebrities, athletes, entertainers and influencers and supports talent sourcing, partnership development and campaign execution. Davie Brown Entertainment and Platinum Rye Entertainment contributed specialist entertainment and talent capabilities.

• Marketing service · 2005

  Digital, social and mobile marketing

  TMA creates digital and social programs and has historical expertise in mobile channels, including SMS, MMS, mobile gaming, applications and mobile websites. The integration of Fanscape strengthened social-media capabilities, while Ipsh! added mobile-marketing experience.

• Marketing service · 2016

  Shopper, retail and promotional marketing

  The agency supports promotions and retail-facing activity designed to influence consumers close to the point of purchase. Alcone's integration added dedicated promotional, shopper and retail-marketing expertise.

• Creative service

  Branded content and advertising

  TMA develops campaign concepts, branded entertainment and advertising content. Examples associated with the agency include Pepsi Max's Uncle Drew film work, Doritos' Crash the Super Bowl promotion and State Farm's Jake from State Farm and Super Bowl advertising.

• 2021State Farm Super Bowl campaign

  United States

  TMA led the creative for State Farm's first in-game Super Bowl advertisement, using Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Paul Rudd and Drake in a campaign built around the Jake from State Farm platform.

  Outcome. The campaign marked State Farm's first in-game Super Bowl spot.

  Source
• 2020Jake from State Farm

  United States

  After State Farm appointed TMA as its creative agency in late 2019, TMA's first advertisement for the insurer revived the Jake from State Farm character, with Kevin Miles cast as the new Jake.

  Outcome. The character became the center of State Farm's refreshed advertising platform.

  Source
• 2013Uncle Drew

  United States

  TMA worked on Pepsi Max's Uncle Drew film property, an entertainment-led campaign built around a basketball character and celebrity performance.

  Outcome. The work received two Lions at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.

  Source
• Crash the Super Bowl

  United States

  TMA was credited with creating Doritos' Crash the Super Bowl promotion, an advertising platform associated with consumer participation and Super Bowl exposure.

  Outcome. The campaign earned a Gold Lion at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.

  Source

• 2022

  Refresh the agency brandStrategy

  Background

  TMA sought to present a unified contemporary identity across its agency operations and channels.

  Action taken

  The agency introduced new colors, fonts, design elements, a new web domain and a new social-media handle.

  Aftermath

  The agency adopted the wearetma.agency identity while continuing to operate as an Omnicom-owned marketing agency.

  Source

• 2016

  Add Platinum Rye Entertainment and AlconeM&A

  Background

  TMA was broadening from sports and events into talent, retail, shopper and promotional marketing.

  Action taken

  Platinum Rye Entertainment and Alcone became part of TMA.

  Aftermath

  The additions expanded celebrity-talent sourcing and shopper, retail and promotional capabilities.

  Source

• 2004

  Combine sports consulting with MillsportStrategy

  Background

  Omnicom operated multiple agencies serving sports sponsorship and sports-marketing clients.

  Action taken

  TMA merged its sports-consulting division with Omnicom-owned Millsport.

  Aftermath

  The combined sports business retained the Millsport brand name.

  Source

• 1999

  Join Omnicom GroupM&A

  Background

  The Marketing Arm had developed from a sports-agency event and corporate-marketing division into a standalone specialist agency.

  Action taken

  Omnicom Group acquired the agency in June 1999.

  Aftermath

  TMA became part of Omnicom's broader marketing and communications portfolio and subsequently expanded through additional agency integrations.

  Source

1. 1The Marketing Armen.wikipedia.org
2. 2The Marketing Arm official websitewearetma.agency