What Obviouslee Marketing does

Obviouslee Marketing is a privately-held, full-service marketing agency founded in 2005 by Lee Deas and headquartered at 654 King Street in Charleston, South Carolina. The firm delivers integrated marketing services across brand strategy, brand development and design, advertising and promotions, social media and digital, public and media relations, experiential and activations, and content marketing. Its client base is anchored in the outdoor and active lifestyle vertical, with secondary practices in active/wellness, sports and entertainment, and lifestyle/culture. The agency's competitive positioning is built on a 20+ year network of outdoor journalists, creators, athletes, and activists cultivated through shared lifestyle experience, rather than on any proprietary technology platform.

The business is a B2B professional services firm operating on retainer-based and project-based engagements with no publicly disclosed pricing; billing cadence on disclosed contracts (e.g., the 13-year Credit One Charleston Open relationship) is multi-year. Marquee engagements include media relations and on-site activation for the 2021 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island (the fastest-selling PGA Championship in history), a sustained 13-year agency of record relationship with the Credit One Charleston Open (2022 WTA 500 Tournament of the Year), and full brand development for Island Coastal Lager (which reached #2 craft lager in South Carolina by Nielsen within one year of launch).

Obviouslee has expanded both organically and through acquisition. Groundswell PR was acquired in 2021, and Meteorite PR merged into the firm in September 2025, adding outdoor public relations depth, a Boulder, Colorado office, and a new Chief Outdoor Officer (Eric 'Hende' Henderson). The firm operates across eight U.S. regions, was certified as a B Corporation in October 2024 (B Impact Score 87.5), and serves a roster that includes Hydro Flask, ZAG Skis, Huk, Jones Snowboards, Bajio Sunglasses, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Rab, Sweet Protection, and Epic Water Filters.

Name

Obviouslee Marketing

Legal name

Obviouslee Marketing LLC

Website

https://obviouslee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Obviouslee Marketing is a privately-held, full-service marketing agency founded in 2005 in Charleston, SC, providing brand strategy, public relations, digital, experiential, and content services to outdoor, active lifestyle, sports, and lifestyle brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Charleston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Marketing & Brand Strategy Services: Retainer-based and project-based engagements for marketing strategy, brand development, and creative services for enterprise and mid-market clients.
2. Public Relations & Media Relations: Agency of record and project-based PR services including media relations, press trip coordination, and thought leadership positioning.
3. Digital & Social Media Marketing: Digital advertising management, social media strategy, content creation, and email marketing services billed as part of integrated engagements or standalone.
4. Experiential & Event Marketing: Event marketing, brand activations, sponsorship management, and on-site media relations for sports tournaments, festivals, and brand experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Obviouslee Marketing is a full-service B2B marketing agency delivering seven integrated service categories: Marketing & Brand Strategy, Brand Development & Design, Advertising & Promotions, Social Media & Digital, Public & Media Relations, Experiential & Activations, and Content Marketing. The agency specializes in outdoor and active-lifestyle verticals and earns revenue through retainer-based and project-based engagements with enterprise and mid-market brand clients.

Product overview

Obviouslee Marketing is a full-service marketing agency organized as a unified service portfolio rather than a modular software platform. The company's offering spans Marketing & Brand Strategy, Brand Development & Design, Advertising & Promotions, Social Media & Digital, Public & Media Relations, Experiential & Activations, and Content Marketing (photo/video). These services are delivered to clients across four primary industry verticals: Outdoor & Adventure (including Action Sports, Gear & Apparel, Hunt & Fish, Sustainability & Conservation), Active & Wellness, Sports & Entertainment, and Lifestyle & Culture. Notable client projects documented on the website include Hydro Flask, 2021 PGA Championship, Credit One Charleston Open, Island Coastal Lager, and ZAG Skis. The company has also grown through acquisitions (Groundswell PR in 2021) and a September 2025 merger with Meteorite PR, and was certified as a B Corporation in 2024.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Marketing & Brand Strategy Strategic consulting to define brand positioning, go-to-market planning, and overall marketing direction for clients across outdoor, sports, active lifestyle, and lifestyle/culture verticals.
• Brand Development & Design Creation of brand identity systems including logos, brand guides, visual identity, packaging, and signage to establish consistent brand presence for client brands.
• Advertising & Promotions Paid media campaigns across digital and traditional channels including Meta Ads, Google Ads, programmatic advertising, and media buying to drive brand awareness and conversions for client brands.
• Social Media & Digital End-to-end social media management, content creation, consulting, and digital strategy across platforms including Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
• Public & Media Relations National and local media relations, thought leadership placement, awards management, product seeding, and paid media partnerships to build earned media and brand authority for client brands.
• Experiential & Activations Live event marketing, brand experiences, product activations, press trips, media tours, and on-site media relations to create direct consumer engagement for client brands.
• Content Marketing Blog writing, email marketing, copywriting, photography, and video production to build SEO, engage audiences, and support marketing channels across client brands.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.7 million earned media impressions generated for ZAG Skis within a single season
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Meteorite PRcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 September 2025Obviouslee merged with Meteorite PR, a Boulder, Colorado-based outdoor storytelling firm, in September 2025. Meteorite's founder Eric 'Hende' Henderson becomes Chief Outdoor Officer at Obviouslee. Meteorite retains its Boulder roots while operating under Obviouslee's umbrella. Meteorite's existing partnerships with Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Rab, Oberalp Group, Sweet Protection, and Epic Water Filters are now part of the combined agency portfolio.
• HukcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 February 2025Obviouslee was selected as Huk's media relations agency of record to amplify national brand awareness and expand Huk's leadership within the fishing industry to broader outdoor and active lifestyle segments. Huk is a performance fishing apparel brand founded in 2014 and headquartered in Charleston, SC.
• Groundswell PRcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Groundswell PR was brought under the Obviouslee umbrella in 2021, expanding the agency's public relations capabilities and outdoor industry presence. This was the first major outdoor PR acquisition prior to the Meteorite PR partnership in 2025.
• Hydro FlaskcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOngoing strategic partnership for media strategy, public relations, press trips, content creation, product activations, and brand collaborations. Obviouslee has created once-in-a-lifetime media adventures for Hydro Flask including Moab White Rim Trail cycling, Sonoran Desert Preserve trips, and Kelly Slater's Surf Ranch wave experiences.
• Jackson Hole Mountain ResortminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLongtime client partner of Meteorite PR, which joined the Obviouslee umbrella in September 2025. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is part of the combined agency's outdoor industry client portfolio.
• Jones SnowboardscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLongstanding client relationship for PR and trade show representation. Jones Snowboards is an innovator of high-performance, sustainably made gear for snowboarding and winter backcountry adventures. Listed as a key brand in Obviouslee's outdoor client portfolio alongside Huk and Bajio Sunglasses.
• Bajio SunglassescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEyewear brand serving the outdoor and active lifestyle market, listed as a key client alongside Jones Snowboards and Huk in Obviouslee's outdoor portfolio following the Meteorite PR integration.
• New Belgium BrewingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMulti-year brewing partnership secured by Island Coastal Lager (a client of Obviouslee). New Belgium Brewing provides national distribution for ICL's craft lager products, enabling ICL to scale beyond regional markets.
• The Running EventminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrade event partnership managed as part of the expanded outdoor and active lifestyle client portfolio following the Meteorite PR integration into Obviouslee.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Edelman: Edelman is a global public relations firm with deep consumer and lifestyle practice areas. It competes with Obviouslee for enterprise PR mandates from large outdoor, sports, and consumer brands seeking broader geographic and multi-vertical capabilities.
• Jack Morton Worldwide: Jack Morton is a global brand experience agency overlapping with Obviouslee's experiential marketing and brand activation capabilities. It is a larger incumbent offering similar services across industries at greater scale.
• Ketchum: Ketchum is a global communications consultancy with established outdoor, sports, and lifestyle practices. It overlaps with Obviouslee in media relations and brand storytelling but serves much larger, multi-national clients.
• Walker Sands: Walker Sands is a mid-sized integrated B2B marketing agency with capabilities in PR, demand generation, and content. While not outdoor-specialized, it competes with Obviouslee for integrated marketing mandates from brands evaluating full-service partners.
• FINN Partners: FINN Partners is a global integrated marketing and PR firm with active lifestyle and outdoor practice areas. It competes with Obviouslee for mid-market and enterprise mandates across the same verticals.
• Ogilvy: Ogilvy is a global creative, advertising, and PR network with integrated marketing capabilities. It overlaps with Obviouslee's brand strategy, advertising, and content services but operates at enterprise scale across all verticals.

Direct peers

• Verde Brand Communications: Verde Brand Communications is a PR and marketing agency focused on outdoor, active lifestyle, and sustainability brands. It is highly comparable to Obviouslee given its overlapping client base in outdoor gear, apparel, and conservation, and its specialist positioning.
• OutsidePR: OutsidePR is a public relations agency focused on outdoor, action sports, and adventure travel brands. It directly overlaps with Obviouslee in delivering media relations, influencer programs, and brand storytelling to endemic outdoor audiences.
• Backbone Media: Backbone Media is a marketing and public relations agency specializing in the outdoor, active lifestyle, and travel industries. Like Obviouslee, it serves endemic outdoor brands with integrated marketing, PR, content, and media services from within the outdoor community.

Emerging players

• MKG: MKG is an experiential marketing and brand experience agency. It overlaps with Obviouslee's experiential and activation capabilities but operates across consumer and lifestyle brands more broadly.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/obviouslee
• Instagraminstagram.com/obviouslee
• Facebookfacebook.com/obviousleemarketing

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Obviouslee Marketing