The Regan Group isn't your average agency. Armed with a team of employees with roots in music, gaming, p.r., branding and production, the full-service marketing and promotions agency is known for its fresh ideas and ties to the entertainment industry. That's part of the magic that keeps clients coming back.
“The staff is somewhat nontraditional,” says President and CEO Patti Regan. “When clients find us, they stick with us.”
TRG has risen in the PROMO 100 ranking to the No. 47 spot from No. 68 last year. Net revenues for the agency topped $3.5 million in 2005, up 23% from $2.9 million in 2003, Its bread and butter are sweepstakes and games, special events, barter media, fulfillment and strategic alliances.
With just 23 full-time employees, the 14-year-old agency doesn't fall short of big ideas. The shop shows its versatility tackling projects of all shapes, sizes and budgets, says Jennifer Tully, VP-marketing. “We're big enough to have credibility, but not so big that clients get lost,” Tully says.
About 70% of its 2005 business is from existing clients. Clients include 20th Century Fox, Ashley Furniture, Electronic Arts, NBC and Court TV.
“We are extremely passionate,” Regan says. “Failure is not an option for us or for our clients.”
Last fall, Ashley Furniture Industries Inc. asked TRG (its AOR) to build a national program its stores could extend locally around the Country Music Association awards program in New York City — the program's first time out of Nashville. The Los Angeles-based agency responded with an instant-win game dangling a posh trip to New York to see the live event and a $10,000 shopping spree to live, shop and feel like a country star.
Some 464 home stores and retailers participated, distributing more than 1.4 million game cards during the six — week run. As a result, Ashley Furniture saw a $2.1 million sales lift, or 29% increase. TRG showed dealers that Arcadia, WI-based Ashley Furniture is no small-time company.
“They made us bigger than we thought we were,” says Kerry Lebensburger, Ashley Furniture's president of sales, upholstery division. “They are not shy.”
In a separate effort, TRG launched a marketing campaign and viewing event last year around NBC's sci-fi show Revelations. It used guerilla marketing to build interest and recruited viewers to a screening event in nine markets. Attendees previewed the first two hours, then had a Q&A with the cast and producers via satellite. TRG distributed 82,000 screening passes and generated more than 57,000 e-mail blasts to reach consumers.
“They represent their client business as if it were their business,” says Sharon Merle-Lieberman, senior director of marketing, The NBC Agency. “They deliver on what they say they can deliver on. It's a very sharp group of people.”
