YMCA Taps The Martin Agency as Agency of Record

The agency will help the organization celebrate its 175th anniversary in the U.S.

CHICAGO, Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- YMCA of the USA has named The Martin Agency as its advertising agency of record, following a competitive review by the organization.

The Martin Agency will be responsible for the development of an integrated brand campaign that will be implemented in local communities nationwide surrounding the organization's 175th anniversary in the United States.

Details of the deal were not disclosed, but COMvergence estimates the YMCA's 2024 media spend at $30 million.

The YMCA had previously hired VML as its advertising and digital transformation agency of record in 2020.

The integrated campaign, to launch in 2026 in conjunction with the Y's anniversary, will work to drive better understanding of its mission and inspire community members to get involved with and join the organization.

"One of the strengths of being a 175-year-old organization is that with that amount of time, you're sewn into the fabric of community. But that kind of steady presence has the potential to fade into the background. Martin's creative work breaks through the noise, especially with historical brands like the Y," Abby Farris Rogers, Executive VP and Chief Development Officer at Y-USA told ADWEEK.

She added that The Martin Agency has an impressive track record with non-profit clients and a history of helping decentralized organizations tell a shared message, which she said will be essential to the upcoming campaign.

Telling the story of a storied institution

The YMCA works in more than 10,000 communities and serves nearly 17 million people. The nonprofit is focused on empowering young people, improving health and well-being, and inspiring action in and across communities.

The historic tale of the YMCA "may be the greatest story never told," Elizabeth Paul, Chief Brand Officer at The Martin Agency, told ADWEEK.

"This venerated organization crosses pop-culture fame—from the role it's played in sports to music to community—but so many of its contributions have been hiding in plain sight. The idea of getting to help tell those stories and get this remarkable organization the credit it deserves, is incredibly exciting," said Paul.

Over the last 175 years, the YMCA has made an indelible impact on American culture, including inventing basketball and volleyball, starting Father's Day, and implementing ESL education. Paul said Martin will look to uncover the hidden gems and remarkable stories from the organization's past while cementing its legacy for the future.

The upcoming work will aim to get the country talking about what YMCA means to the communities it serves, driving conversation, reconsideration, and renewed relevancy. Topics may include the YMCA's work to get communities healthy and moving in the face of an obesity epidemic; childcare, which the Y provides; and further ESL teaching.

"We're thrilled to help crack a mechanism for getting this vital organization the spotlight it deserves. And there's no better time than their 175^th anniversary," said Paul.

In a time when people in the U.S. feel less connected to each other and their communities, Farris Rogers said that the Y is a place that brings people together through sports, volunteerism, healthy activities, child care, and many other opportunities.

"Many organizations that hit the 175 milestone have moved away from the core of their mission, but the Y is proud to still be in the community building space. Our founder George Williams was creating space for young men, new to London during the Industrial Revolution, and we're still connecting communities today across the U.S. and the world," she said.

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SOURCE YMCA of the USA