Marketing Solutions Group

What Marketing Solutions Group does

Marketing Solutions Group, LLC is a privately held US manufacturer sales representative agency headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, with a regional office in Springfield, Missouri. Founded in 2001 through the merger of Roy, Gfeller, Rand & Associates (formed 1977) and Total Marketing (formed 1976), MSG operates as the intermediary between manufacturers and large retail buyers, deploying experienced field sales professionals across strategic US locations plus a dedicated sales manager for Mexico. Its product is fundamentally a service: face-to-face product training, promotion, and account management delivered to product managers, countermen, and store associates at retail locations.

The company serves six vertical segments — automotive aftermarket (its primary segment), mass merchandisers, farm and ranch supply, catalog/web-based retailers, outdoor/RV/sporting goods, and specialty retail — with named enterprise customers including O'Reilly Auto Parts, AutoZone, Home Depot, Lowe's, Menard's, Cabela's, Atwoods, Blain Supply/Farm & Fleet, Mills Fleet Farm, Orgill, Factory Motor Parts, and Keystone Automotive. In 2021 MSG added a six-person consumer products team to formalize a national accounts franchise beyond its historical automotive aftermarket core.

Revenue is generated through professional services / commission-based manufacturer representation rather than a productized or SaaS offering; the firm monetizes by brokering shelf placement and retail execution on behalf of its manufacturing clients. The firm employs 11-50 staff, with notable senior tenure (CEO Randy Roy with MSG since 1995, President Rex Stephens since 2003, VP of Sales Ben Wornall with MSG from 1997-2003 and 2005-present). Distribution is exclusively direct field sales, with no disclosed digital channel, e-commerce platform, or software product. Pricing details are not publicly disclosed and the firm maintains active memberships in 13 industry trade associations including the Auto Care Association, SEMA, AAPEX, and the Auto Care Association Market Intelligence Committee.

Name

Marketing Solutions Group

Legal name

Marketing Solutions Group, LLC

Website

https://msg-llc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Marketing Solutions Group is a privately held US manufacturer sales representative agency that deploys field sales professionals to drive shelf placement and retail execution for manufacturers across automotive aftermarket, mass merchandise, farm and ranch, outdoor/RV, and specialty retail channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Manufacturer Sales Representation Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Media Representatives (541840)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail Merchandising Execution & Field Marketing Services (CRAOAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Field Sales & Brand Ambassador Programs (MPAAAJAG)

Keywords

• Manufacturer representative services
• Sales agency services
• Field sales representation
• Market development services
• National account management

Headquarters

HQ city

Lenexa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Manufacturer Representative Services: MSG operates as a manufacturer sales representative agency, providing professional sales, marketing and service strategies to help manufacturers penetrate and build presence in the marketplace. They form the critical link between manufacturers and their customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Marketing Solutions Group operates as a manufacturer sales representative agency, providing professional sales, marketing, and service strategies that form the critical link between manufacturers and their retail customers. The company staffs experienced field sales representatives who deliver face-to-face product training, promotion, and account management to product managers, countermen, and store associates across the automotive aftermarket, mass merchandise, farm and ranch supply, outdoor/RV, and specialty retail channels in the United States and Mexico.

Product overview

Marketing Solutions Group is a sales and marketing agency that operates as a unified service offering, combining professional sales representation with marketing consultation. The company provides Sales Representation Services as its core product, deploying experienced sales professionals in strategic U.S. locations to build customer trust through face-to-face product training and promotion. This core is augmented by Marketing Services (expert analysis and consultation), National Account Management (for large retail accounts), and International Sales Support covering Mexico. Rather than a software platform, MSG's 'product' is its team of sales professionals and their collective market expertise spanning automotive aftermarket, grocery, department and convenience store, farm and ranch supply, outdoor and RV segments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sales Representation Services

Named customers14 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Advantage Solutions: One of the largest North American sales and marketing agencies providing merchandising, marketing, and category management to CPG manufacturers and retailers. Operates as the scaled incumbent version of the manufacturer-to-retailer intermediary role that MSG occupies in automotive aftermarket and mass merch.
• Acosta: Sales and marketing agency that provides retail services, in-store execution, and category advisory for CPG manufacturers and retailers. Comparable to MSG in acting as the outsourced sales arm connecting brands to retail buyers across multiple categories.
• Crossmark: Sales and marketing services company delivering in-store execution, retail merchandising, and shopper marketing for manufacturers. Direct functional analog of MSG's field sales rep model, but at a much larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• The Mars Agency: Retail marketing agency specializing in shopper marketing, category development, and retail media services for brands and retailers. Comparable to MSG as a professional services partner to manufacturers seeking retail execution, though more focused on marketing strategy than direct field sales.
• Daymon Worldwide: Provides private brand development, sourcing, and retail merchandising services for grocery and mass market retailers. Adjacent in business model (manufacturers' rep adjacent services) but focused on private label and category management rather than aftermarket distribution.

Direct peers

• Premium Retail Services: Provides in-store merchandising, retail execution, and field sales services on behalf of manufacturers across retail channels. Operates the same outsourced field sales force model as MSG, typically serving CPG and general merchandise categories.
• SAS Retail Services: A retail services provider delivering merchandising, reset, and field sales support to manufacturers and retailers nationwide. Directly comparable to MSG in business model - acting as an outsourced sales/merchandising arm between brands and retail buyers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Marketing Solutions Group