The Atkins Group (Advertising)

What The Atkins Group (Advertising) does

The Atkins Group (TAG) is a privately held, full-service advertising agency founded by Steve and Chip Atkins in San Antonio, Texas, with additional offices in Austin and Dallas. The firm delivers integrated marketing services spanning brand strategy, creative development, digital and programmatic media buying, public relations, crisis communications, and campaign execution for government agencies, destination marketing organizations (DMOs), healthcare systems, and consumer brands. Notable long-tenured engagements include Visit San Antonio, St. David's HealthCare, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (Nobody Trashes Tennessee), Visit Plano, Visit Huntington Beach, Bexar County, the Texas Secretary of State, UT Health Science Center, and CPS Energy.

The agency's core technology stack is organized around two proprietary capabilities: Predictive Data Labs (PDL), launched in mid-2019, which houses the True Insights Platform (TIP) for analyzing client and proprietary databases to predict audiences and optimize digital ad spend; and the Agency Trading Desk (ATD), an external programmatic buying operation that bids directly on inventory while filtering fraud and privacy risk. These capabilities feed a "Seamless Fusion Model" that the company reports yields a 30–40% increase in added value impressions on digital programmatic campaigns, alongside device ID tracking and tracking pixels for attribution. Sub-brands include PDL and ATD, and the firm has built specialized offerings such as gamified digital loyalty platforms (exemplified by Trash Masters Rewards) and crisis communications consulting.

TAG operates under a professional services, agency-of-record model with project-based and retainer arrangements typical of mid-sized independent agencies. Revenue is generated through creative and media fees, media commissions, and project-based campaign work, with no public pricing disclosed. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales targeting government, tourism, healthcare, and consumer verticals, primarily in Texas but with selected out-of-state engagements in Tennessee, California, and beyond. The firm merged with Taylor West Advertising in September 2021 and has remained founder-controlled under Steve Atkins as President, with no institutional or private equity ownership evidenced in available sources.

Name

The Atkins Group (Advertising)

Legal name

The Atkins Group

Website

https://theatkinsgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Atkins Group is a privately held, full-service advertising agency founded in 1974 and headquartered in San Antonio, with offices in Austin and Dallas. It serves government, tourism, healthcare, and consumer clients with brand strategy, creative, digital/programmatic media buying, PR, and crisis communications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Advertising Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising Agencies (54181), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Media Buying Agencies (54183)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Direct Marketing, CRM & Lifecycle (Email, SMS, Loyalty) (BPAFAAAJ)

Keywords

• Advertising agency services
• Brand strategy development
• Digital media buying
• Tourism destination marketing
• Healthcare marketing campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

San Antonio

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising and Marketing Services: Full-service advertising agency providing comprehensive marketing services including brand strategy, creative development, digital marketing, media planning and buying, public relations, and campaign execution for government, tourism, healthcare, and consumer product clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Atkins Group is a full-service advertising agency providing integrated marketing and advertising services across brand strategy, creative development, digital and programmatic media buying, tourism marketing, healthcare marketing, public relations, crisis communications, and government public-information campaigns. It operates through a Seamless Fusion Model that combines proprietary predictive analytics with direct programmatic buying to serve enterprise clients in tourism, healthcare, government, and consumer product verticals.

Product overview

The Atkins Group (TAG) is a full-service advertising agency offering integrated marketing and advertising services. The agency's offerings include brand strategy services, creative services (design, video production, digital content), tourism marketing, healthcare marketing, digital and programmatic advertising through its Agency Trading Desk, gamified digital loyalty platforms (e.g., Trash Masters Rewards), government and public campaigns, and crisis communications consulting. The agency operates under a Seamless Fusion Model combining predictive analytics from Predictive Data Labs with external digital/programmatic buying capabilities. Founded in 1974 and headquartered in San Antonio with offices in Austin and Dallas, the company serves clients across government, tourism, healthcare, and consumer industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Predictive Data Labs (PDL): Data science and analytics division launched in 2019 to develop True Insights Platform (TIP) for client data analysis and audience targeting.
• Agency Trading Desk (ATD)

Products and services

• Brand Strategy Services Full-service brand strategy development including mission definition, values articulation, vision setting, and marketplace positioning to help clients define and control their brand identity.
• Creative Services Comprehensive creative development including concept creation, design, illustration, video production, and digital content creation across traditional and digital channels.
• Tourism Marketing Specialized destination marketing services for tourism boards and travel destinations including visitor campaigns, digital marketing, and tourism promotion across multiple markets.
• Healthcare Marketing Healthcare-specific marketing and advertising services including brand campaigns, patient outreach, and healthcare system promotion for hospitals and medical facilities.
• Digital and Programmatic Advertising Digital advertising services including programmatic media buying, device ID tracking, display advertising, and data-driven digital campaign management through the Agency Trading Desk (ATD).
• Gamified Digital Loyalty Platforms Customized digital rewards and gamification programs that drive engagement through points systems, rewards redemption, and behavioral incentives, exemplified by the Trash Masters Rewards program.
• Government and Public Campaigns Large-scale public information campaigns for government clients including census outreach, voter engagement, and public awareness initiatives with multi-channel delivery.
• Crisis Communications Communications consulting for crisis situations including messaging strategy, leadership communication, and public relations during extended challenging periods.
• Public Relations and Earned Media Public relations, communications, and content development services covering earned and owned media, public affairs, advocacy, and crisis communications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Brand awareness increased 4.5% for St. David's HealthCare
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers14 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

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Taylor West AdvertisingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 September 2021Strategic merger combining Taylor West Advertising with The Atkins Group under The Atkins Group flag. Bill West leads business development for the combined entity. The combination brought additional talent and expanded capabilities, enabling further growth and expansion in the Texas market.
• Predictive Data Lab (PDL)coreTechnology or IntegrationData science extension of TAG led by Carlos Casas de la Garza, launched mid-2019. Developed True Insights Platform (TIP) to analyze client and proprietary databases, derive intelligence, predict new audiences, and elevate digital ad spend efficiency.
• Agency Trading Desk (ATD)coreTechnology or IntegrationExternal digital/programmatic buying group that operates at scale to buy programmatic directly for TAG clients and other mid-range independent clients. Led by Moses Munoz with team of seven, works to ensure competitive pricing and protect clients from fraud sites.
• The DeBerry GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinority-owned agency partner in the Texas Census campaign, providing census expertise and helping reach diverse populations in Texas.
• Step In CommunicationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing partner on Nobody Trashes Tennessee campaign alongside TAG and Gray Public Relations.
• Gray Public RelationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublic relations partner on Nobody Trashes Tennessee campaign alongside TAG and Step In Communication.
• Tennessee Wildlife Resources AgencyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative 'Bear-Proof Trash Can' campaign with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency for the Nobody Trashes Tennessee initiative.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• RPA: Los Angeles-based independent, full-service advertising agency of larger scale. RPA represents the broader incumbent tier TAG competes against for enterprise accounts, offering comparable creative-plus-media capabilities with deeper media-buying leverage.
• 72andSunny: Global creative agency with offices in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. 72andSunny is a broader incumbent that competes for the kind of brand-led, award-winning creative briefs TAG pursues, though at significantly greater scale and with a more international footprint.

Direct peers

• R&R Partners: Las Vegas-based independent agency renowned for the 'What Happens in Vegas' destination tourism campaigns. R&R Partners is a direct peer in destination marketing, large-scale public-sector work, and integrated brand/creative services for tourism and government clients.
• The Tombras Group: Knoxville, Tennessee-based independent, full-service agency of similar size and structure. Tombras offers comparable creative, media, data, and digital capabilities and serves many of the same kinds of clients (including Tennessee public-sector accounts TAG also works).
• Dieste: Dallas-based independent agency specializing in multicultural and Hispanic-market advertising. Dieste competes with TAG for Texas enterprise clients and shares a similar mid-size independent structure with full-service creative and media capabilities.
• GSD&M: Austin, Texas-based independent full-service advertising agency of comparable heritage and size. GSD&M shares TAG's Texas roots, multi-decade operating history, blue-chip client roster (including longstanding tourism and government accounts), and integrated creative-plus-media-buying model.
• MMGY Global: Kansas City-based marketing firm focused exclusively on travel, tourism, and hospitality. MMGY is a direct peer in TAG's largest vertical (Tourism/Destination Marketing), offering research-driven integrated marketing to destinations, hotels, and attractions.
• The Richards Group: Dallas-based independent, family-run advertising agency founded in 1976—closely paralleling TAG's Texas heritage, founder-led structure, and full-service offering across brand, creative, and media. Both firms compete head-to-head for Texas-based enterprise and tourism clients.
• MeringCarson: Sacramento-based independent agency recognized for destination/tourism marketing and brand campaigns. MeringCarson's client roster and tourism-marketing depth directly overlap with TAG's destination practice (Visit Anaheim, Visit Reno-Tahoe equivalents of TAG's Visit San Antonio/Plano/Huntington Beach work).

Regional players

• Lewis Communications: Birmingham, Alabama-based independent agency of comparable size and full-service scope. Lewis is a regional peer with a similar mix of tourism, healthcare, and consumer accounts, though operating primarily in the Southeast rather than the Southwest.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/theatkinsgroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/theatkinsgroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-atkins-group---strategic-brand-communications

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 The Atkins Group (Advertising)