What Acadia does

Acadia is an Atlanta-based, full-service digital marketing agency founded in 2021 by Jared Belsky (former CEO of 360i) and Sean Belnick (founder of Bizchair). It targets mid-market challenger brands and enterprise clients with an integrated offering that combines Retail Media & Marketplaces (Amazon, Instacart, Walmart, Target, Kroger, Chewy, Ulta, Costco, Sam's Club, Macy's), Analytics & Business Intelligence, Paid Media (search, paid social, video, audio, podcasts, programmatic), Content and Performance Creative, Influencer Marketing, Organic Social, and SEO & CRO under a single Agency of Record contract. The firm also layers dedicated vertical specializations across Beauty, Pet Care, Restaurants, Apparel, CPG, Health & Wellness, and B2B, with HIPAA-compliant data handling for healthcare clients. Named enterprise and mid-market customers include Wayfair, Maggiano's, Fresh Thyme, European Wax Center (1,100 locations), Red Roof Inn, Orkin, Barcel USA (Takis), Casey's, Nature's Way, WellSky, P.C. Richard & Son, Tommy John, SAXX, Krinos, TRUBAR, Halo, Merle Norman, TULA Skincare, U Beauty, Ideal Image, and Outdoor Brands (Pit Boss, Charbroil, Oklahoma Joe's).

Acadia's core technology centers on a proprietary AI-enabled analytics platform called Acadia Analyze (launched October 2025) that consolidates cross-channel platform data and exposes AI Highlights, Analyze Change (five-level root-cause investigation), and Ask Acadia (natural-language querying across combined datasets). Underlying capabilities include customer segmentation, predictive modeling (purchase likelihood, churn), media mix modeling, incrementality testing, and CRM/CDP-aligned data warehousing on Snowflake with LiveRamp for identity resolution. The platform runs on SOC2 Type II-compliant infrastructure with PII and HIPAA-compliant handling for health and wellness clients. Acadia holds premier-tier partnerships with Google, Meta, TikTok, Amazon (Advanced Partner), MNTN, Spotify, iHeartMedia, SXM Media, Microsoft Advertising, LiveRamp, and Snowflake, which grant alpha/beta access and advanced targeting capabilities such as multi-unit radius pods.

The business model is professional services plus managed media: revenue is generated from agency fees, retainer-based engagements, and pass-through media spend on a transparent billing basis (the firm has publicly committed to returning media rebates to clients rather than retaining them as hidden profit). Pricing is custom and tied to scope and media budget, structured around multi-year AOR contracts. Acadia is 100% private with zero PE or institutional capital; all employees are shareholders, and the firm reports single-digit attrition against an industry norm of roughly 40%. The company manages $350M+ in paid media spend with 150+ biddable media experts and is led by CEO Jared Belsky, COO Chad Crowe, and a department-head bench including Julie Spear (Head of Retail Marketplace Services, ex-Bobsled), Seth Hirsch, Sally Kazin, and Margot Eddy. Recognized as Ad Age Media Agency of the Year 2026 and the only agency to win both Ad Age Performance Marketing AOY 2024 and Media Post Independent AOY 2024.

Name

Acadia

Legal name

Acadia

Website

https://acadia.io

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Acadia is an Atlanta-based, full-service digital marketing agency serving mid-market and enterprise challenger brands across retail media, analytics, paid media, SEO, CRO, content, and social via an integrated Agency of Record model, managing $350M+ in media spend with proprietary AI analytics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Marketing Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Media Buying Agencies (54183), Advertising Agencies (54181)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Advertising (Brand + Performance + Media) (BPAFAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Market Research, Analytics & Consumer Insights (BPAFAAAM), Customer, Marketing & Sales Consulting (BPAHACAG)

Keywords

• Digital marketing agency
• Retail media services
• Paid media management
• Marketing analytics
• Conversion rate optimization

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Agency Services Revenue: Full-service digital marketing agency providing retail media and marketplaces, analytics and business intelligence, paid media, content and creative, SEO and CRO services. Revenue generated through agency fees, management fees, and media spending retainers for mid-market and enterprise clients.
2. Media Management and Trading: Mediated media buying across search, paid social, video, audio, podcasts, programmatic channels. Transparent pass-through billing with zero hidden fees and honest partnership model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Acadia is a full-service digital marketing agency providing integrated services across retail media & marketplaces (Amazon, Instacart, Walmart, Target, Kroger, Chewy, Ulta), paid media (search, social, video, audio, programmatic), analytics & business intelligence (segmentation, predictive modeling, GA4), performance creative, influencer marketing, organic social, and SEO & CRO. The agency operates as Agency of Record for mid-market challenger brands and enterprise clients, supported by proprietary tools including Acadia Analyze (AI-powered analytics) and Media Mix Modeling & Incrementality Testing capabilities.

Product overview

Acadia is a full-service digital marketing agency offering an integrated platform of services under one roof. The core offering combines Retail Media & Marketplaces (e-commerce advertising and optimization across Amazon, Instacart, Walmart, Target, Kroger, Chewy, Ulta, Costco, Sams Club, and Macys), Analytics & Business Intelligence (customer segmentation, predictive modeling, GA4, and data warehousing), Paid Media (search, social, video, audio, programmatic), Content and Creative / Performance Creative (in-house photo/video production), Influencer Marketing (sourcing, allowlisting, reporting), Organic Social Media, and SEO & CRO. These services are organized into industry vertical specializations (Beauty, Pets, Restaurants, Apparel, CPG, Health & Wellness, B2B) and powered by proprietary tools including Acadia Analyze (AI-powered analytics platform with natural language querying, automated change investigation, and AI-driven metric surfacing) and Media Mix Modeling & Incrementality Testing capabilities. The company was founded in Summer 2021 and acquired Bobsled Marketing in March 2022 to build out its retail marketplace practice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retail Media & Marketplaces Full-service e-commerce strategy, advertising, education, and optimization across Amazon, Instacart, Walmart, Target, Kroger, Chewy, Ulta, Costco, Sams Club, and Macys. Includes paid advertising (Sponsored Products, DSP, AMC), organic marketing (SEO for PDPs, A+, storefronts), brand protection (Buy Box, review management), and operational excellence for retail media and marketplace clients.
• Analytics & Business Intelligence Customer analytics encompassing segmentation, predictive modeling, actionable insights, digital measurement with GA4, and customer data ingestion and enrichment, serving as the foundation for all other marketing initiatives.
• Paid Media Media planning, buying, and optimization across search, paid social, video, audio, podcasts, and programmatic. Includes paid search, shopping ad management, paid social, and DSP buying, serving as Agency of Record for ambitious mid-market and enterprise brands.
• Content and Creative / Performance Creative In-house photo and video production for social media, paid advertising, e-commerce, and out-of-home activations, from concept and storyboarding through shoots and post-production, with channel-specific creative optimized for performance on each platform.
• Influencer Marketing Influencer identification, contracting, content creation, allowlisting (paid amplification through influencer handles), and reporting using Tagger by Sprout Social; closed-loop attribution feeds content into social and paid media with 40+ in-house influencer experts.
• Organic Social Media Full-service social media management, content strategy, community management, and social account operations across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Reddit, and LinkedIn, including video and photography production from iPhone shoots to commercial-level output.
• SEO & CRO Search Engine Optimization covering keyword research, technical SEO, local/multi-location SEO, e-commerce SEO, video SEO, Amazon SEO, international SEO, and App Store Optimization, paired with Conversion Rate Optimization that combines behavioral data with strategic testing and user research.
• Industry Specializations Vertical-specific marketing practices serving beauty, pet care, restaurants, apparel, consumer packaged goods, health and wellness (HIPAA-compliant), and B2B brands, each with tailored channel strategies across the full Acadia platform.
• Media Mix Modeling & Incrementality Testing Media Mix Modeling provides high-level direction on media budget allocation across channels and incrementality testing identifies which channels drive incremental returns versus taking credit for organic results, replacing traditional annual MMM cycles with more frequent, affordable ongoing analysis.
• Acadia Analyze AI-powered analytics platform that consolidates all platform data in one place, featuring Analyze Change (automated multi-level investigation of business performance), AI Highlights (auto-surfacing of moving/unexpected metrics), and Ask Acadia (natural-language querying across combined datasets).

Quantifiable outcome

• 48% lift in retail marketplace sales for TRUBAR on Walmart and Instacart
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability10 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Outdoor Brands, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2026Appointed as Lead Media Agency for Outdoor Brands' Outdoor Cooking portfolio (Pit Boss, Charbroil, Oklahoma Joe's) for the 2026 season. Integrated agency structure includes The Variable as Lead Creative Agency and continued PR partnership with Gear Communications.
• Bobsled MarketingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2022Acadia acquired Bobsled Marketing, a leader in Amazon, Instacart, Walmart, and Target marketing. The acquisition enhanced Acadia's retail marketplace services and allowed the company to offer comprehensive Amazon services including digital advertising and storefront management. Bobsled's founder Julie Spear now leads Acadia's retail media and marketplace services unit, which became the company's fastest-growing division with 40% YoY revenue growth in 2025 and 60%+ EBITDA growth.
• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationGoogle Premier Partner with access to alphas and betas, dedicated Google partner managers, and direct line for advancing client needs. Partnership enables advanced targeting capabilities including custom radius targets and multi-unit focused pods.
• Meta (Facebook)coreTechnology or IntegrationPremier partnership enabling advanced social advertising capabilities. Partnership includes multi-unit focused pods and access to latest features, targeting options, and platform developments.
• TikTokcoreTechnology or IntegrationPremier TikTok agency partnership providing access to latest features and capabilities. Partnership includes multi-unit focused pods for reaching target audiences.
• MNTN (Converificant)coreTechnology or IntegrationClose partnership with MNTN for programmatic advertising and CTV capabilities. Enables premium video inventory via PMPs and direct deals.
• Amazon (including Amazon DSP)coreTechnology or IntegrationAmazon Ads Advanced Partner with elevated standing unlocking retail opportunities. Capabilities include Sponsored Products, DSP, AMC, and Amazon advertising management.
• Microsoft (formerly Xandr)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Microsoft Advertising (Xandr) for programmatic capabilities and expanded audience reach.
• SpotifycoreTechnology or IntegrationClose partnership with Spotify for premium audio inventory acquisition via PMPs and direct deals. Enables engaging audio ad campaigns.
• iHeartMediacoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for audio advertising across iHeartRadio platform. Enables targeted audio campaigns in hub cities.
• SXM/SiriusXM/PandoracoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with SXM Media (including SiriusXM and Pandora) for premium audio inventory and expanded reach capabilities.
• Tagger by Sprout SocialcoreTechnology or IntegrationPreferred Partner for influencer marketing technology. Used for sourcing, communication, campaign briefs, payment, and reporting on influencer campaigns.
• Motion (Performance Creative)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology solution for performance creative production and asset management across channels.
• Sprout SocialcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartner for social media management and reporting. Used alongside Hey Orca for social account and community management.
• LiveRampcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for data collaboration and audience segmentation. Used for rebuilding client segmentation, targeting, and measurement capabilities (e.g., Sky Zone case study).

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Acadia