Swanson Russell

What Swanson Russell does

Swanson Russell is a privately held, full-service integrated marketing and advertising agency headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, with a secondary office in Omaha. Founded approximately 60 years ago (sources cite 1962 and 1964), the firm serves B2B brands across four specialized verticals: outdoor recreation, agribusiness, construction, and green industry. The agency's positioning targets the overlap between working professionals and outdoor enthusiasts, leveraging staff who are themselves practicing hunters, anglers, and outdoor participants. Notable enterprise clients include Minn Kota, Humminbird, Koch Agronomic Services, Briggs & Stratton, JLG, Takeuchi, Walls Outdoor Goods, Reinke, Ferris, Exmark, Rain Bird, and Textron Aviation.

The firm offers a comprehensive service portfolio spanning marketing strategy, creative development, brand management, customer experience (UX/UI, web development, e-commerce), audience engagement (social media, email, programmatic, endemic media, influencer partnerships), data and analytics, public relations, and an in-house motion studio for video production. Proprietary intellectual assets include the "Make Belief" brand-building methodology and the "Proof Wins" construction industry thought leadership research. The agency has no software platform; its offering is entirely professional services executed by practitioners, with dedicated vertical Group Account Directors (Patrick Finnegan for Outdoor Recreation, Andrew Warner for Agribusiness, Jason Schmaderer for Construction & Green Industry).

The business model is professional services with project-based, quote-driven pricing typical of B2B agencies. Distribution is direct, relationship-led account management targeting enterprise and mid-market buyers, with no self-serve or e-commerce channels. The firm is led by CEO Brent Schott and recognized through AAF Nebraska, NAMA, TOCA, and AMA Prism awards. Ownership appears to be retained by founders and/or management with no disclosed external investors, parent company, or M&A activity.

Name

Swanson Russell

Legal name

Swanson Russell

Website

https://swansonrussell.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Swanson Russell is a privately held, full-service integrated marketing agency founded ~60 years ago in Lincoln, Nebraska, serving enterprise and mid-market B2B brands across outdoor recreation, agribusiness, construction, and green industry verticals through strategy, creative, digital, PR, and video production services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Advertising and Marketing Agency Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising Agencies (54181)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

B2B/ABM Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAI)

Keywords

• Integrated marketing services
• Advertising agency services
• Brand campaign development
• Outdoor recreation marketing
• Agribusiness communications

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincoln

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Marketing and Advertising Services: Full-service advertising and marketing agency providing strategic marketing, creative development, brand management, customer experience, and audience engagement services to B2B brands in outdoor-focused industries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Swanson Russell is a full-service, integrated advertising and marketing agency delivering strategic marketing, creative development, brand management, customer experience design, audience engagement, public relations, and motion/video production services to enterprise and mid-market B2B brands. The agency focuses on four vertical industries: outdoor recreation, agribusiness, construction, and green industry. Services are delivered as campaign-based engagements supported by deep category research and a proprietary 'Make Belief' brand-building approach.

Product overview

Swanson Russell is a full-service advertising and marketing agency offering integrated marketing services for brands in outdoor recreation, agribusiness, construction, and green industry sectors. The agency's offerings include marketing strategy, creative development, brand management, customer experience (UX/UI, websites, e-commerce), audience engagement (social media, email, programmatic), data & analytics, public relations, and motion studio/video production. Rather than a software platform, Swanson Russell provides professional services and campaign execution across these interconnected disciplines. The agency serves as a strategic partner for brands seeking to connect with audiences who work and play outdoors, with demonstrated expertise across 60+ years of industry experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Marketing Strategy Services Strategic planning and consulting to help B2B brands define market position, audience targeting, and go-to-market approaches across outdoor recreation, agribusiness, construction, and green industry sectors.
• Creative Development Design and production of advertising creative including video, print, digital ads, social media content, and motion graphics for brand campaigns.
• Brand Management Ongoing brand identity development, positioning, personality crafting, and brand architecture services to maintain consistent brand representation across channels.
• Customer Experience UX/UI design, website development, e-commerce solutions, and mobile experience optimization to enhance customer interactions with brand digital properties.
• Audience Engagement Multi-channel engagement strategies including social media marketing, email campaigns, programmatic media, endemic media placement, and influencer partnerships.
• Data and Analytics Research, trends analysis, segmentation studies, brand health tracking, and performance analytics to inform marketing decisions and measure campaign effectiveness.
• Public Relations Media relations, press outreach, industry publication partnerships, and thought leadership content development to build brand reputation and visibility.
• Motion Studio In-house video production capabilities including campaign videos, product launch films, social content, and broadcast-quality motion graphics for multi-platform deployment.
• Product Launch Services Integrated launch campaigns combining advertising, PR, digital marketing, and trade show presence to introduce new products to market.
• Content Marketing Content creation including articles, podcasts, video content, and educational materials to build brand authority and engage target audiences (e.g., Field Notes podcast for Koch Agronomic Services).
• Trade Show and Event Marketing Trade show booth design, event materials, promotional items, and event activation services for industry exhibitions and conferences.
• SEO/SEM Services Search engine optimization and search engine marketing to improve organic visibility and paid search performance for client digital properties.

Quantifiable outcome

• Doubled Badlands e-commerce conversion rate after website overhaul
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Vexus BoatsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered with Vexus Boats for the One-Boat Challenge campaign, providing boats for the competition series featuring Minn Kota and Humminbird products.
• ToyotaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerToyota provided trucks for the One-Boat Challenge competition series as part of the integrated fishing brand campaign.
• Anglers Inn InternationalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAngling destination partner for the One-Boat Challenge series, contributing to the competition logistics and venue.
• Abu GarciaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTackle partner for the One-Boat Challenge campaign, providing fishing gear for contestants.
• BerkleyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFishing tackle partner contributing products to the One-Boat Challenge competition series.
• ShimanominorGTM or Marketing PartnerFishing equipment partner for the One-Boat Challenge fishing competition campaign.
• AFTCOminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAngling apparel partner for the One-Boat Challenge series.
• GerberminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMulti-tool and knife partner for the One-Boat Challenge fishing competition campaign.
• Strike KingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFishing lure partner contributing to the One-Boat Challenge competition.
• PlanominorGTM or Marketing PartnerTackle storage partner for the One-Boat Challenge fishing brand campaign.
• VMCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFishing hook partner for the One-Boat Challenge series.
• SufixminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFishing line partner for the One-Boat Challenge competition series.
• CropXcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCropX partnered with Reinke (Swanson Russell client) to provide innovative soil monitoring sensors that help farmers increase yields by 10% with 30% less water. Swanson Russell created the 'Rule the Rain' campaign launching this partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Lessing-Flynn: Des Moines-based full-service agency with longstanding agribusiness and B2B expertise. Comparable on Midwest base, vertical specialization, and enterprise client mix.
• Bader Rutter: Midwest-based integrated B2B marketing agency with category strength in agriculture, outdoor recreation, and industrial clients. Comparable in vertical depth, integrated services, and enterprise client profile.
• AdFarm: Kansas City-based full-service agency specializing in agriculture and rural lifestyle marketing. Directly comparable as a vertical specialist serving agribusiness and outdoor-adjacent brands with strategy, creative, and digital services.
• Rhea + Kaiser (Brodeur Partners): Midwest-based agency (now part of Brodeur) with deep agribusiness and rural marketing heritage. Comparable on vertical specialization and enterprise ag client roster.
• Paulsen: Sioux Falls-based marketing agency exclusively focused on agriculture and rural industries. Closely comparable on vertical specialization (agribusiness), employee scale, and B2B service mix.
• McCormick Company: Full-service B2B agency with a strong agribusiness and industrial marketing practice. Comparable in serving agricultural, outdoor, and construction-adjacent brands with integrated campaigns.

Broad incumbents

• HLK: St. Louis-based independent agency with B2B and vertical-specialist practices spanning agribusiness and industrial clients. Overlapping on integrated services and Midwest enterprise client base.
• Doe-Anderson: Long-established independent agency with category work in outdoor, agribusiness, and consumer brands. Mid-size independent competing for similar vertical-specialist mandates.
• Carmichael Lynch: Minneapolis-based independent creative agency serving national outdoor and consumer brands (e.g., Outdoor Industry Association). Broader incumbent with overlapping outdoor-category clients but a wider portfolio.
• The Richards Group: Texas-based independent full-service agency with deep experience in outdoor, sporting goods, and B2B brands. Broader incumbent competing for similar enterprise clients across multiple verticals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/swansonrussell
• Facebookfacebook.com/swansonrussellcommunications
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swanson-russell_19779

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 Swanson Russell