Avocet Communications

What Avocet Communications does

Avocet Communications is a 45-year-old integrated marketing communications agency headquartered in Longmont, Colorado with a secondary office in Denver. Founded in 1980 by Kit Sutorius as Sutorius Advertising and rebranded in 1988, the firm has operated continuously under Lori Jones's sole ownership since 2015, when it became a 100% woman-owned small business. Avocet delivers a unified portfolio of services spanning market strategy, creative and content production, public relations and media communications, and technology and digital optimization, supported by proprietary methodologies including the Avocet Trust Index™ diagnostic, the Competitive Intercept™ positioning framework, and Vivid Visioning strategic planning.

The agency operates on a professional-services revenue model, generating income through custom retainers and project-based engagements typically structured as multi-year contracts. Pricing is quote-based and tailored to scope rather than publicly tiered. Client acquisition is sales-led, combining direct enterprise outreach, thought-leadership content (including the StrategyCast podcast with 500+ guests and 200,000+ downloads across 33 countries), earned media coverage, awards marketing, and government contracting via SAM.gov registration (UEI SBCNE3LXFJ13, CAGE 766JO, NAICS 541810).

Avocet serves a diversified customer base across enterprise consumer brands (Big O Tires, Kneaders, Papa John's), aerospace and space (York Space Systems, APG, Roccor, Redwire, Solid Power), nonprofit (Volunteers of America Colorado, Arc Thrift Stores), healthcare startups (NowVitals, OncoPatch, Clinic Chat), and federal/state/local government. Reported client outcomes include tripled sales pipelines, 97% YoY earned media value growth, and ~$700K earned media value for the Arc Thrift Feed Colorado campaign. The firm employs a hybrid in-office and gig-worker model, holds Google Ads certifications across Search, Display, Video, Apps, Shopping, and Analytics, and earned EcoVadis Bronze and Colorado Green Business Network Silver sustainability ratings in 2024.

Name

Avocet Communications

Legal name

Avocet Communications Company

Website

https://avocetcommunications.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Avocet Communications is a 45-year-old, woman-owned integrated marketing communications agency in Colorado serving enterprise, nonprofit, startup, and government clients with strategy, creative, PR, and digital services via custom retainers and project engagements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Longmont

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Integrated Marketing Communications Services: Avocet generates revenue through providing integrated marketing communications services including brand strategy, creative and content services, public relations and media relations, technology and optimization, and web design and programming. Revenue is project-based or retainer-driven, typical of marketing agency engagements with B2B, B2C, nonprofit, and government clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Avocet Communications is an integrated marketing communications agency that delivers fully fused strategy, creative, media, and technology services under one roof. Core offerings span Market Strategy & Vision, Creative & Content, PR & Media Communications, and Technology & Optimization, augmented by proprietary methodologies such as the Avocet Trust Index™ diagnostic and the Competitive Intercept™ positioning framework.

Product overview

Avocet Communications is a strategic marketing agency offering fully integrated marketing communications solutions. The company provides a unified portfolio of services including Market Strategy & Vision, Creative & Content, PR & Media Communications, and Technology & Optimization. These core offerings are supported by proprietary methodologies like Competitive Intercept and the Avocet Trust Index assessment tool. The agency also produces StrategyCast, a marketing podcast, and offers specialized services like Vivid Visioning strategic planning and the Connected Hearts pro bono program for nonprofits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• StrategyCast: Marketing podcast rebranded from Integrate & Ignite in 2024, featuring interviews with industry leaders on marketing strategy and business growth
• Integrate & Ignite

Products and services

• Market Strategy & Vision

Quantifiable outcome

• Tripled sales pipeline YOY for Aircraft Performance Group (APG)
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Volunteers of America ColoradocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023Avocet was named the agency of record for Volunteers of America Colorado after a six-month project. The partnership involves strategic marketing, digital and social strategies, crisis communications, PR and media relations, and creative development to elevate the nonprofit's mission supporting homelessness, food insecurity, and veteran services in Colorado. The 2024 Davey Award Gold for integrated campaign and community engagement was won for this partnership.
• Connected Hearts Initiative NonprofitsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2022The Connected Hearts Initiative is Avocet's pro bono program providing up to $75,000 in marketing services annually to a selected nonprofit organization. Focus areas rotate annually; the 2022 focus was on suicide awareness and prevention. Services include strategic planning, brand messaging, social engagement, content creation, PR, and thought leadership.
• Longmont Startup WeekcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 November 2020Avocet was tapped to fully orchestrate Longmont Startup Week 2021, a major annual entrepreneurial event now in its eighth year. Avocet handles speaker coordination, sponsorship outreach, all event planning and logistics, marketing, PR and media outreach, and a complete brand refresh including new logo and website. Partners include High Plains Bank, EforAll, Docketly, Ward Electric, Sticker Giant, Innovate Longmont, Longmont Downtown Development Authority, and Longmont Economic Development Partnership.
• Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2020Avocet partnered with EforAll, a nonprofit that accelerates economic and social impact through inclusive entrepreneurship. CEO Lori Jones serves as a mentor in EforAll's Business Accelerator program. Avocet also hosts website-build training workshops for EforAll participants. EforAll is Avocet's first program outside of Massachusetts.
• Arc Thrift StorescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2020Avocet achieved major results for Arc Thrift Stores' Feed Colorado food drive, including nearly $700,000 in Earned Media Value and 189,000 meals provided to Coloradans. Also won a 2023 Davey Award Silver for a DEI thought leadership campaign on Arc's behalf.
• Forbes Agency CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Avocet Communications is a member of the Forbes Agency Council, an invitation-only network of senior-level marketing and communications professionals. Lori Jones is a founding member. The council provides thought leadership opportunities and peer recognition.
• SAM.gov (Federal Government Contracting)coreOthersAvocet is a registered vendor in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) with UEI SBCNE3LXFJ13 and CAGE code 766JO, enabling pursuit of federal government contracts.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• 360i: 360i is a digital-first integrated marketing agency (now part of Dentsu) competing for enterprise clients with paid media, SEO, creative, and analytics capabilities. Comparable to Avocet in the integrated marketing services mix, though operating at greater scale and with deeper digital/paid media specialization.
• Sukle Advertising & Design: Sukle is a Denver-based independent creative agency with a comparable service offering (strategy, creative, brand, digital) and B2B/B2C client mix. Like Avocet, Sukle competes for Colorado-based mid-market and enterprise clients and operates at a similar scale as a regional independent agency.
• Mod Op: Mod Op is a mid-size integrated marketing agency offering strategy, creative, media, and technology services to B2B and B2C clients. Closely comparable to Avocet in scope (full-service integrated marketing), target market (mid-market to enterprise), and agency scale (similar headcount). Both firms emphasize data-driven creative and technology-enabled marketing.
• Walz Tetrick Advertising: Walz Tetrick is a regional integrated marketing agency of similar size and vintage to Avocet, offering brand strategy, creative, media, and digital services. The two firms are structurally comparable as mid-size, multi-generational integrated agencies competing for similar enterprise and mid-market clients in their respective geographies.
• Cactus: Cactus is a Denver-based creative and integrated marketing agency, making it a direct geographic and competitive peer to Avocet's Colorado footprint. Both firms serve similar mid-market to enterprise clients across the Mountain West with full-service integrated marketing communications offerings.

Regional players

• Noble Studios: Noble Studios is a Reno/Las Vegas-based integrated digital agency of similar size to Avocet, offering strategy, creative, web development, and digital marketing. Comparable service mix and mid-market positioning, though operating in a different regional market with somewhat stronger digital/UX specialization.

Emerging players

• Mekanism: Mekanism is an independent creative and integrated marketing agency serving enterprise clients with brand storytelling and integrated campaigns. Comparable in emphasis on bold creative and integrated marketing strategy, though larger and more focused on national brand work than Avocet's regional/Colorado mix.

Broad incumbents

• WPP: WPP is the world's largest advertising holding company (Ogilvy, VMLY&R, GroupM, etc.) and a major competitive incumbent for integrated marketing communications engagements. Avocet competes in the same enterprise RFP space but at a fraction of the scale, relying on agility, specialization, and federal contracting access.
• Omnicom Group: Omnicom is a global advertising holding company (DDB, BBDO, TBWA, etc.) competing for the same Fortune 500 advertising and PR budgets that Avocet also targets. Represents the broad incumbent competition for large enterprise clients; Avocet competes through specialized mid-market positioning, WOSB certification, and government contracting advantages.
• Publicis Groupe: Publicis is a global advertising holding company (Leo Burnett, Saatchi, Publicis Sapient) competing for integrated marketing budgets across enterprise clients. Represents the broad incumbent alternative to a regional independent agency like Avocet, especially for multinational clients requiring global scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AvocetComm
• Facebookfacebook.com/AvocetCommunications
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/avocet-communications
• Instagraminstagram.com/avocetcommunications

Compliance14 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Avocet Communications