GSD&M
GSD&M is an advertising agency headquartered in Austin, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1971 by graduates of University of Texas at Austin – Roy Spence, Judy Trabulsi, Tim McClure and Steve Gurasich, and others, as AdVantage Associates.[1] After the 1972 political campaign for former Texas Senator Ralph Yarborough, it re-organized with the 4 principals, as GSD&M. Since 1998, GSD&M has been part of the Omnicom Group. A satellite office is located in Chicago, Illinois.
Clients
Longtime clients include: Southwest Airlines [2] (30+ years), the PGA Tour (20+ years), Lennox International (15+ years), AT&T (15+ years), the U.S. Air Force (10+ years). Other notable clients include Walgreens,[3] PetSmart,[4] Northwestern Mutual,[5] Popeyes,[6] John Deere and Goodyear.[7]
Recently the agency was awarded the business for Chipotle[8] and Hampton Inn and Suites.[9]
History
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Advertising |
| Founded | 1971 |
| Headquarters | Austin, Texas |
Key people | Duff Stewart, CEO Marianne Malina, President Jay Russell, EVP/CCO[10] J.B. Raftus, EVP/CMO[11] Steve Gurasich, co-founder Roy Spence, co-founder Judy Trabulsi, co-founder Tim McClure, co-founder |
Number of employees | 400+ |
| Website | www.gsdm.com |
The agency started with local retail accounts and expanded to more regional work. In 1986, the agency created the Don't Mess with Texas anti-litter slogan for the Texas Department of Transportation.
In the 1990s GSD&M began to acquire more national brands outside of Texas and was regarded as a "creative hot-shop."[12] The agency relinquished Chili's, DreamWorks, Frito-Lay, Fannie Mae and UnitedHealthcare in 2006–2007. The agency's Omnicom sibling, BBDO, was given the lead on the AT&T account, although GSD&M still has a portion of the business.
The agency was known as GSD&M until August 27, 2007 when it changed its name to GSD&M's Idea City.[13] "Idea City" was previously the name of the agency's Austin headquarters. The "Idea City" name was dropped from the firm name in January 2011.[14]
On February 5, 2009, GSD&M founder Roy Spence published It’s Not What You Sell, It’s What You Stand For. The book, co-authored with Haley Rushing, is a business book that suggests the key to high-performing organizations is that they have a purpose. Purpose, according to the book, is defined as “a definitive statement about the difference you are trying to make in the world.”
GSD&M uses "Purpose-based branding" in its approach to their clients.[15]
In 2001, following the September 11th attacks, the firm created the public service announcement short film I am an American for the Ad Council.[16]
Wal-Mart
From 1987 until January 31, 2007, GSD&M was one of two agencies that held the Wal-Mart account.[citation needed] In October 2006, Wal-Mart moved its $580-million account to Draftfcb, but Draftfcb lost the account when, December 7, 2006, Wal-Mart fired two marketing executives who had led the account review and initiated a second review, alleging that the executives had accepted gifts from the agencies under consideration.
Draftfcb was not permitted to participate in the second review. GSD&M was invited to take part, but declined. "We helped build Wal-Mart from $11 billion in sales to $312 billion," said one of the agency's founders, Roy Spence, "We declare victory, and we are moving on."[17]
References
- ^ http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/24/GSD-M-Advertising.html
- ^ Chicago Sun Times, June 6th 2006. “Southwest has an edge in Rare Fight”.
- ^ http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/walgreens-confirms-selection-gsdm-lead-creative-agency-140178
- ^ http://adage.com/article/agency-news/petsmart-names-gsd-m-creative-shop-review/295123/
- ^ http://adage.com/article/agency-news/northwestern-mutual-names-gsd-m-creative-agency/293967/
- ^ AdWeek, “GSD&M Snares pair” http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/account-activity/e3ie4014cd99a43c45e582fc782c0451fd7
- ^ http://www.campaignlive.com/article/goodyear-tire-talk-gsd-m/1334948
- ^ http://adage.com/article/agency-news/chipotle-taps-gsd-m-media-creative/293465/
- ^ http://adage.com/article/agency-news/gsd-m-named-creative-agency-hampton/294436/
- ^ Pathak, Shareen. "Beyond SXSW: A local agency exec's tour of the real Austin". Digiday. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
- ^ Grisales, Claudia. "Austin Advertising Sector Surged in 2014". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
- ^ Imperato, Gina (October 1997). "Greetings from Idea City". Fast Company. Retrieved 2008-08-09.
- ^ "Idea City: GSD&M Retools for the Future," Adweek Online December 27, 2007. [1]
- ^ "GSD&M Turning 40, Drops ‘Idea City’", AgencySpy, January 27, 2011.
- ^ http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/agency/e3ia48763163f8b981b43639760b99647cf GSD&M Finds Renewed 'Purpose'
- ^ Ad Council Classics: "I am an American"
- ^ Stuart Elliot, "Why an Agency Said No to Wal-Mart", New York Times December 15, 2006, p. C4.