January 26, 2022
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PMG

PMG is a global independent company that provides omnichannel strategy, media, insights, and creative content production for some of the world’s most iconic brands. The company’s work for brands like Apple, Beats by Dre, Cirque du Soleil, Old Navy, Sephora, and Google runs across 50+ countries globally and has received top industry recognition from Cannes Lions to Adweek Media Plan of the Year. PMG’s Texas-based client partners include Hotels.com, Motel 6, The Container Store, Cheap Caribbean, and Cook Children's Hospital. PMG has locations in Fort Worth, Dallas, Austin, New York, and London.


Advertising
Kohler Names Texas-Based PMG as Its Media Agency of Record
PMG Posted On December 8, 2021


Fast-Growing Global Independent to Lead Customer-Centric Marketing Across Data, Insights, Strategy, Media, Creative and Consulting

PMG, a fast-growing global independent digital company, has been selected by Kohler Co. as agency of record following a review. Effective in January, the Dallas-based PMG will oversee integrated strategy, creative, media planning and buying, leveraging data-driven business intelligence and insights through its proprietary Alli technology.

“PMG demonstrates a strong track record of technology-enabled agile marketing, and offers deep strategic partnership support to help enhance our category leadership,” said David Kohler, President & CEO, Kohler Co. “The investments PMG is making in its people, its distinguished technology advantage, and understanding audiences from awareness through transaction set it apart. We look forward to working together.”

Based in Wisconsin, Kohler Co. is one of America’s oldest and largest privately held companies, with nearly 38,000 associates and more than 50 manufacturing locations worldwide. Kohler is the latest to partner with PMG, named among Adweek’s Fastest-Growing Companies and Ad Age’s Best Places to Work in 2021, to combine the power of data, insights, creative, technology and media. It joins the agency’s growing roster of iconic and ambitious brands including Gap Inc., Momentive (formerly SurveyMonkey), Best Western Hotels & Resorts, Madewell, Hyperice, Sephora, and more.

“Kohler is a timeless brand and respected leader that is prioritizing digital sustainability, and customer experience at a time when the pandemic has moved more people to elevate their homes and lifestyles, while also redefining where and how they make brand and purchase decisions,” said George Popstefanov, CEO of PMG. “We have an incredible opportunity to support a company known for exceptional products and bold innovation in delighting and inspiring its customers in new and exciting ways, and to be a partner in owning the moment and focusing on the priorities that matter most in people’s lives.”


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Advertising
PMG Offers an Analysis of the State of the Holiday Shopper
PMG Posted On November 15, 2021


As we get closer to the holidays, the percentage of consumers who are feeling excited and festive is increasing week to week. Now that we have crossed the Halloween holiday threshold, and retailers are shifting fall decor in favor of winter holiday decorations and music, consumer excitement and anticipation for the winter holidays will continue to grow.
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According to PMG’s Q4 Consumer Outlook Survey, more than 50 percent of consumers have started holiday shopping, but a notable 72 percent of consumers have not decided which brands to buy from this holiday season, representing a huge opportunity for marketers to impact buying journeys and capture share of mind and wallet with the right messaging and outreach.

 

52% have started shopping for the holidays

72% have not decided which brands to buy from this holiday season

Source: PMG x YouGov Direct Q4 Consumer Outlook Survey, 2021 (Wave 3)

 

MARKETER
OPPORTUNITY

Most consumers are in-market now. They remain undecided, are ready to shop, and are primed to invest in a strong holiday season. PMG recommends an opportunistic, pull-forward approach to help capture share and/or alleviate pressures anticipated around peak shopping days. In our analysis, early investment can yield a sales revenue increase of 7% across the 11-week holiday season.

 

PURCHASE BEHAVIOR:
DECISION POINTS, PRODUCTS AND CHANNELS

For holiday 2021, product availability is a more critical factor in consumers’ purchase decisions than ever before due to consumers paying attention to the issues surrounding the supply chain and the impact on retailers and marketers. In mid-October, nearly two-thirds reported in-stock product, delivery dates, and the location of product as important factors in purchase decisions, with availability outpacing pricing and promotions as a top consideration — a flip from years past. While excitement for the season and favorable pricing have made availability less of a consideration in more recent weeks (still 65 percent), it will continue to sway consumer sentiment and purchase decisions later in the season. Retailers and sellers across verticals have a greater ability to control distribution if they are in a strong inventory position.

Factors Driving Holiday 2021 Purchase Decisions

Factors Driving Holiday 2021 Purchase Decisions Chart
Source: PMG x YouGov Direct Q4 Consumer Outlook Survey, 2021
For three consecutive weeks, our Q4 Consumer Outlook Survey has shown a consistent pattern: ninety percent of consumers will switch brands this holiday season when their needs are not met. With 2020’s “shock to loyalty” persisting into this year, measurably growing the customer base and fighting to protect a brand’s core customer set versus the competition will underpin any successful holiday strategy.

Brand Loyalty Gauge 2021

“Will you switch brands when your needs are not met?”

Brand Loyalty Gauge 2021 Chart
Source: PMG x YouGov Direct Q4 Consumer Outlook Survey, 2021 (Wave 3)

Loyal Consumers Are More Powerful Than Any Platform

At every stage of purchase consideration, consumers are looking to trusted recommendations, and loyal consumers will go to brands for information when researching products. For discovery, inspiration and research, people are considering an array of platforms and channels to influence their decisions, but critically, as they get closer to the point of purchase, large ecommerce platforms are gaining mindshare week-over-week.

Consumer Journey and Influences, Holiday 2021

Consumer Journey and Influences, Holiday 2021 Chart

Source: PMG x YouGov Direct Q4 Consumer Outlook Survey, 2021 (Wave 3)

STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS AND MARKETER OPPORTUNITIES

PMG’s Q4 Customer Outlook Survey findings show that as of November 1, shoppers are beginning to ramp up their holiday purchase behavior and feeling a growing sense of urgency to shop, with availability and convenience more of a priority than ever. At this moment, marketers have an opportunity to capture share starting today, lowering dependency on peak promotional days to hit ambitious sales goals. Similar to 2020, as consumers move from consideration to purchase, they are increasingly looking for a one-stop shop, whether it be Amazon or other wholesale sites to complete transactions. For mono-brand retailers, in particular, this is a critical moment to deliver messaging that helps convey the benefits of a direct purchase and invest in mindshare as consumers move from consideration to purchase.

We See Three Opportunities to Jump on Today

The holiday sprint is on. Brands that remain agile, capitalize on competitive advantages, and stay in tune with shifting consumer expectations can win the moment.

1. Pull budget forward, invest early, and flex to performance.
2. Further diversify how customers are reached.
3. Actively pursue and measure market share and customer growth.
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Advertising  / Digital Agency
PMG Names Stacey Martin Chief People Officer | Advancing DE&I Commitment
PMG Posted On August 25, 2021


Independent global digital company PMG, with offices in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, New York and London, has hired Stacey Martin as its first Chief People Officer, a newly-created role to support the business’ accelerated growth and award-winning, people first culture. Martin will oversee PMG’s people operations, learning and development, culture and talent acquisition teams, and will be responsible for advancing the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) investment and commitment. She joins the executive leadership team, reporting directly to PMG CEO George Popstefanov.

“Our ambition is to be the most respected global digital company powered by technology and amazing people. I truly believe if we take care of our people, they will take care of our customers and grow with our business, which is why I’m so excited to have Stacey join our leadership team and help us scale this focus,” said Popstefanov. “My number one goal in 2021 has been to support the wellness and growth of our employees, and the addition of Stacey brings us the leadership and enterprise experience we need to accelerate our business trajectory without compromising on putting our people first.”

Recognized among Ad Age’s Best Places to Work six years in a row, and as the no. 1 large agency on the 2021 list, PMG leads as a values-driven organization that is focused on always changing for the better, doing the right thing for its people and its customers, and as a company committed to advancing DE&I in its industry and communities. Over the last year, PMG has done this by protecting the jobs of hundreds of employees globally, transparently publishing its DE&I data and commitment to change, introducing new childcare benefits and flexible return-to-office plans, and giving back to the community through more than 1,400 collective virtual and in-person volunteer hours.

During this time, PMG has grown its business partnerships with ambitious brands, including Apple, Gap Inc., Madewell, Momentive (SurveyMonkey), Best Western Hotels & Resorts, and Sephora, and deepened its investments in data, strategy, insights, creative, media, and its Alli proprietary technology, to become a top digital company that now oversees more than $1 billion in media spend globally. In addition to growing its geographic footprint in New York, London, Austin, Dallas and Fort Worth, this past year PMG expanded its remote workforce coast to coast – from Atlanta and Boston to LA and Seattle – while training and placing more than 100 new graduates into full-time roles through its world-renowned Graduate Leadership Program.

“It’s rare to see a company that lives up to its values and promises, and that’s what attracted me to PMG,” said Martin. “Independence puts PMG in an exciting position to invest in the future by making its people, culture and continuous improvement priorities, and I can’t wait to partner with the team to drive the business forward.”

Martin joins PMG with more than 20 years of experience leading human resources functions for dynamic technology and services organizations. She most recently served as Chief Human Resources Officer at Omnitracs, a Dallas-based fleet management solutions company, where she led the integration of three acquisitions and oversaw human resources for the 2,000 person organization. Previously, she led human resources and human capital strategies for the Americas and the Global Technology Division of Travelport, based in Atlanta. She has also held senior human resources roles at SAIC, CGI and American Management Systems, Inc.


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Advertising
A Cookieless Future? PMG Offers Advice on How to Navigate this Upcoming Change from Google
PMG Posted On March 16, 2021


On March 3, Google announced it would officially phase out third-party cookies next year across all Google ad-buying platforms, including Google Ads, DV360, and Campaign Manager, and will not be building alternate identifiers. The decision follows an early 2020 announcement to phase out third-party cookies on Chrome by 2022 and will undoubtedly affect the entire marketing ecosystem, particularly advertisers who use Google advertising platforms, tracking and measurement tools.

PMG has anticipated this change for some time and is prepared to help lead our customers and help them navigate the evolving privacy landscape. As we consider how brands can best plan for the changes to come in 2022, our focus will remain in five key areas:

First-party data will be the gold standard. Brands that have invested in a solid CRM strategy and built the data infrastructure to support it will be more equipped to embrace the new realities of the cookieless future, leveraging CRM within Google’s owned and operated media ecosystem to allow for high levels of targeting, transparency, and audience engagement.

Diversified measurement is critical. As digital moves away from one-size-fits-all attribution, marketers will need to develop an objective-based measurement framework to align measurement and KPIs up and down the funnel.

Leverage touchpoints across the full funnel. Approaches that take less than a full view of customer touchpoints and the messaging and goals associated with those touchpoints will suffer as Google phases out third-party cookies. Clearly defining goals for audiences and touchpoints at every stage and laddering up to aggregate business outcomes will ensure that plans are protected against the upheaval caused by changes to any single technology or publisher.

Creative matters more than ever. The impact this change will have on content and creative cannot be overestimated. It will become even more important to consider audiences and intent to ensure customizations align with the people brands want to reach. Limits on personalization will mean success will depend on developing incisive consumer insights that power highly engaging content, with a focus on storytelling.

Remain agile in testing and learning. One of the biggest opportunities is for brands to test in the Google Privacy Sandbox starting in Q2 2021 to co-create measurement solutions and understand any impact from the loss of third-party cookies. Google referenced progress made by testing one such proposal, FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts), which will allow targeting of audience cohorts who share similar interests or browsing behaviors, as a promising solution.

Learn more about what this means for advertisers in commentary featured in CNBC and the Wall Street Journal by PMG’s CEO and Founder, George Popstefanov.

From here, PMG will continue to work with Google to understand in greater detail the implications and opportunities for its business partners. Our plan is to formulate detailed and specific proposals for taking advantage of the changes ahead and continue to innovate PMG’s Alli technology to give clients competitive advantages in building audiences, serving creative, and leveraging first-party data. As we move toward the cookieless future of digital advertising, our client partners can continue to depend on PMG for reliable solutions and outcomes.


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Advertising
PMG Partners With United Way of Metropolitan Dallas to Drive Awareness of Nonprofit’s Community Programs
PMG Posted On October 23, 2020


One silver lining of the global pandemic has been how individuals and companies have met the moment by looking at their local communities and finding ways to help and support one another. A desire to serve the North Texas community was the impetus behind PMG’s recent partnership with the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, a partnership born in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. PMG, a global digital agency based in DFW, recently launched its first joint effort with the nonprofit — a digital extension of their ongoing Live United campaign — to drive greater awareness among North Texans about its building blocks of opportunity: Education, Income and Health.

The campaign leverages the sophisticated technology, digital tools and expertise PMG deploys globally in support of leading brands such as Beats by Dre, Old Navy and Sephora, to extend the United Way’s mission and reach. While many people in DFW know of United Way, recent research found that more than 50% don’t know what the United Way does. The digital campaign seeks to educate people about its programs, how they operate, and their importance to the community. While the primary goal is to create more opportunity and access among North Texans, the effort also seeks to remind the community about opportunities to donate.


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Advertising
Amid Pandemic, PMG Hires 30 New Graduates via Their Graduate Leadership Program
PMG Posted On July 22, 2020


PMG class of 2019

Due to the pandemic and the economic downturn that it has wrought, many agencies have cut staff. PMG, on the other hand, will be welcoming 30+ recent graduates to the company via its Graduate Leadership Program (GLP) in August. The new employees will increase PMG’s staff by double-digit percentage points, and collectively represent the company’s mission to hire top talent and build strong leaders. This year’s GLP class was recruited before the COVID-19 crisis, and PMG chose to honor its commitments to the graduates. At the beginning of the crisis, we made a commitment to ALL of our employees that their jobs would not be impacted by the pandemic, and once they accepted our offers, the GLP participants became part of the PMG family, even if they weren’t scheduled to start until after their graduation. PMG’s GLP is a 12-week program for university graduates (both from undergraduate and graduate programs) who are looking to grow and learn in their careers after school. The graduates will participate in the program virtually this year, as PMG’s offices remain closed due to COVID-19. Over the 12-week period, participants are put through an intensive series of workshops where they learn how to become better leaders, use data and technology to inform their decision-making, and create — and even execute — media strategy across a variety of functions. Throughout the program PMG provides the graduates with the opportunity to contribute to work that empowers some of the most innovative brands in the world. In addition, graduates in the program will work with our top leaders to understand how to think critically and strategically to provide solutions for any obstacles these brands may face. The goal of the program, for both the participants and for PMG is to match new graduates to a career that continuously challenges them, aligns with their passions and interests, and sets them up for success as a future leader at PMG. While this year’s class is only the second in the program’s short history, it reflects the GLP’s tremendous growth from its first year. The number of applications nearly tripled, with students applying from 23 schools, leading to a class 58% larger than last year’s group. The bigger breadth of candidates was reflected by their areas of study — the 2020 GLP participants majored in 17 different subjects (compared to 8 the year before), including expected subjects such as advertising, data science and strategic communications, as well as those that studied applied cognitive neuroscience, mathematics and physics. Furthermore, the program participants this year are more diverse, with non-whites making up 47% of the 2020 class, compared to 33% last year. According to Adweek, PMG is one of the fastest growing agencies in the world, and the Dallas Business Journal ranks the company as the second largest agency in DFW, based on local employees. With offices in both Fort Worth and Dallas, PMG works with some of the biggest global brands, including Apple, Beats by Dre, Sephora and Old Navy.
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Advertising
Less Than One Year After Launch, PMG Announces Three Times Expansion of Dallas Office
PMG Posted On September 25, 2019


Right to left: Tim Lardner, John Weyand, Sabour Huml and Derek Mireles.

PMG, the DFW-based independent digital company that has become one of the fastest-growing in the advertising industry, has announced a massive expansion of its Uptown office in Dallas. Opened less than a year ago with a target of hiring 25 employees, the office will expand and more than triple its capacity to upwards of 80 team members. PMG plans to recruit top-tier talent—from both agencies and in-house teams—currently in and around Dallas, and also use the office to appeal to digital marketing experts relocating to the area from coastal cities.

Considered by many to be the top independent digital company in the U.S., PMG delivers full-funnel digital marketing strategy and execution through its guiding principle of Digital Made for HumansTM. It manages more than $1 billion in digital media spend across a client portfolio that includes some of the world’s most recognizable brands, including those from seven Fortune 500 companies. PMG is also ranked in the very top echelons of agency partners by companies like Google and Facebook, and its 85% employee retention rate has been a key reason why Ad Age has consistently named PMG as one of advertising’s Best Places to Work.

Dallas is a key recruiting center for PMG as it looks to fill immediate openings in media, technology, and analytics, as well as professional services such as legal, finance, and people operations. In addition, the larger Dallas presence will help PMG deepen its graduate recruiting efforts at Southern Methodist University and surrounding universities. Furthermore, PMG believes increased hiring in Dallas will help the company achieve its goals around greater diversity and inclusion, thanks to the city’s progressive reputation and its ability to draw people from a broad range of backgrounds with varied perspectives.

The expansion comes as PMG experiences significant growth. Over the past three years, the number of PMG employees worldwide has grown by 140%. PMG was also ranked this week in the Adweek 100: Fastest Growing Agencies list, which recognizes ad agencies across the world for delivering the industry’s top three-year revenue growth rates.

“Our growth over the past few years, both in terms of revenue as well as team size, reflects the incredible trust and faith our clients place in us to guide them through an increasingly complex environment in order to create meaningful connections with their audiences,” said George Popstefanov, founder and CEO of PMG. “To grow as we have while still maintaining one of advertising’s most people-centric cultures that is ranked among the industry’s best is nothing short of amazing.”

Companies that experience the type of growth PMG has experienced typically see a dramatic decline in employee happiness. Impressively, PMG’s rapid growth occurred at the same time the agency was named one of Ad Age’s Best Places to Work in advertising for four consecutive years. The company was also named one of Inc.’s Best Workplaces in 2018.

PMG expects to continue to attract talent from the top agencies in Dallas, as well as the city’s growing roster of established and emerging enterprises across key sectors such as technology, retail and data. Prospective job candidates can learn more about the Dallas office online. They will no doubt be attracted to the company’s commitment to work-life balance, including its strong maternity and paternity leave policies and flexible work schedules; focus on talent cultivation via robust employee training; generous 401(k) and annual bonus plans; and support for healthy lifestyles, such as access to an on-site gym and in-office yoga, as well as generous fitness reimbursements. The expanded office will continue to be in Uptown’s Centrum building located at 3102 Oak Lawn Avenue. Other tenants in the building include Salesforce, Capital Factory, rewardStyle, OSCAR and the University of Texas System.

About PMG
PMG is a global independent company that provides omnichannel strategy, media, insights, and creative content production for some of the world’s most iconic brands. Founded in Texas, PMG’s work for brands like Apple, Beats by Dre, Cirque du Soleil, Old Navy, Sephora, and Google runs across 50+ countries globally and has received top industry recognition from Cannes Lions to Adweek Media Plan of the Year. PMG’s Texas-based client partners include Hotels.com, Motel 6, The Container Store, Cheap Caribbean, and Cook Children’s Hospital. PMG also has locations in Fort Worth, Austin, New York, and London.


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