AE Marketing Group

What AE Marketing Group does

AE Marketing Group is a Chicago-based brand strategy and product marketing consultancy founded in 2011 by CEO Brian Walker. The firm provides brand strategy, customer experience transformation, and product marketing support to C-Suite executives and entrepreneurs across B2B, B2C, and non-profit sectors. Its core technology is a portfolio of proprietary trademarked methodologies — branded under the 'Lab Series™' umbrella — including the Co-Creation Lab Series™ (collaborative product/service design with customers), Storytelling Lab Series™ (authentic narrative strategy), Buyer Persona Lab Series™ (research-driven customer profiling), and Enterprise Lab Series™ (organizational brand alignment). The firm's go-to-market motion is direct enterprise field sales targeting C-Suite buyers via thought leadership content, podcast appearances, speaking engagements, workshops, and co-creation sessions.

The company generates revenue through professional services engagements: strategic consulting, brand positioning workshops, co-creation labs, and multimedia content production (documentary campaigns, brand videos, photography). Supporting content assets include the award-winning Brand Lab Series™ podcast (6+ seasons, nearly 100 episodes), the Marketing Minute video series, and bespoke client-branded content platforms such as TalkingSense™ (created for 6sense). Named enterprise clients include Network Health (healthcare, 120,000 members), UCAN (non-profit), 6sense (B2B technology), Mediafly (B2B sales enablement), Fifth Third Bank, Simple Mills, and Rumi Spice. Documented client outcomes include a 2400% lead increase for Network Health, $21M+ raised via UCAN's Power of Potential Campaign, and doubled revenue for 6sense post-repositioning.

AE Marketing Group employs 11-50 staff and operates from a single Chicago headquarters at 18 N. Ada St., Suite 18i. The company is privately held and founder-owned, with no disclosed institutional investment or parent company. It has reported 15 consecutive years of profitability and 434% revenue growth in the past year, is a 3x Inc. 5000 winner, and has been recognized by Goldman Sachs (10K Program), Forbes, AdAge, Modern Healthcare, and AIVA Communicator Awards. Production work is supplemented through partnerships with implementation partners including Ski Team, Thatch Films, and Filmbutcher.

Name

AE Marketing Group

Legal name

AE Marketing Group

Website

https://aemarketinggroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AE Marketing Group is a Chicago-based brand strategy consultancy serving C-Suite executives and entrepreneurs with proprietary trademarked methodologies covering co-creation, storytelling, buyer persona development, and enterprise brand alignment, augmented by multimedia content production capabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brand Strategy Consulting

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Creative Concepting & Campaign Development (BPAFAEAD)

Keywords

• Brand strategy consulting
• Brand positioning services
• Co-creation workshops
• Marketing strategy advisory
• Creative content production

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Brand Strategy Consulting: Professional services including enterprise brand strategy, brand positioning, and transformation consulting for C-Suite executives and organizations.
2. Creative Services: Content creation including documentary production, brand videos, photography, and multimedia campaigns for clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

AE Marketing Group is a brand strategy boutique that delivers enterprise brand transformation services through proprietary "Lab Series™" frameworks, including Enterprise Lab Series™, Co-Creation Lab Series™, Storytelling Lab Series™, and Buyer Persona Lab Series™. Its work spans brand positioning, customer experience design, employee advocacy, and multimedia content production (documentary, video, photography) for C-Suite executives and entrepreneurs across B2B, B2C, and non-profit clients. The firm also produces the Brand Lab Series™ podcast and Marketing Minute video series as thought leadership content and offers executive keynote engagements through its Trends and Transformation Talks.

Product overview

AE Marketing Group is a brand strategy consultancy offering a portfolio of proprietary service methodologies branded under the 'Lab Series™' umbrella. The core offerings include the Co-Creation Lab Series™ (collaborative product/service design), Storytelling Lab Series™ (brand narrative strategy), Buyer Persona Lab Series™ (customer research), and Enterprise Lab Series™ (organizational brand alignment). Supporting content offerings include the Brand Lab Series™ Podcast (award-winning podcast), Marketing Minute Video Series (short-form video advice), and TalkingSense™ (industry thought leadership content). The company also offers Trends and Transformation Talks (executive speaking engagements). These services work together as an integrated brand strategy practice, helping C-suite executives build enterprise brands, improve customer experiences, and identify unmet market needs to drive revenue growth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Brand Lab Series™ Podcast: Award-winning podcast featuring conversations with C-level executives and entrepreneurs on technology, customer experience, co-creation, and marketing.
• Buyer Persona Lab Series™
• Storytelling Lab Series™
• Co-Creation Lab Series™
• Marketing Minute Video Series
• Enterprise Lab Series™

Products and services

• Enterprise Lab Series™ Strategic brand alignment service for enterprise-level organizations to ensure brand consistency across the entire organization, improving pre-purchase, purchase, and post-purchase experiences.
• Co-Creation Lab Series™ A framework that brings together consumers, employees, and brands to co-design products, services, and experiences collaboratively, helping organizations shift from traditional research tactics to experiential engagement with the marketplace.
• Storytelling Lab Series™ Strategic storytelling methodology that helps brands communicate authentically with consumers through genuine narratives, enabling emotional connections and differentiation without traditional advertising.
• Buyer Persona Lab Series™ Research-driven framework for defining and understanding ideal customer profiles based on data from existing customers, helping organizations target the right prospects with the right messaging.
• Trends and Transformation Talks Keynote presentations and trend talks delivered by CEO Brian Walker to industry groups, global brands, and universities on topics including enterprise branding, customer experience, co-creation, and emerging digital trends.
• Brand Lab Series™ Podcast Award-winning podcast featuring conversations with C-level executives and entrepreneurs on technology, customer experience, co-creation, marketing, and employee advocacy.
• Marketing Minute Video Series Short-form video content series offering consumable marketing advice and insights on topics including enterprise branding, digital metrics, podcasting, and storytelling.
• TalkingSense™ A content collection of conversations with industry trendsetters discussing how technology drives demand, fosters relationships, and grows revenue, created for client 6sense.

Quantifiable outcome

• 434% revenue growth in one year
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• 6senseflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2019Strategic partnership to create TalkingSense™, a thought leadership content platform for the ABM orchestration platform. Positioned 6sense as a media brand, leading to doubled revenue and market leadership in share-of-voice.
• Network HealthflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term strategic partnership for healthcare brand transformation. Created the largest employee documentary campaign in healthcare history, resulting in 9 creative awards and significant business growth. Partnership includes CoCreate Wisconsin movement for co-creation with consumers.
• Rumi SpicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted co-creation labs bringing together eCommerce, CPG, storytelling, Amazon, retail, and digital experts. Helped Rumi Spice become the first Afghan product to roll out nationally at Whole Foods Market.
• Bosch GlobalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured on Brand Lab Series podcast - interview with Dennis Boecker, Global IT Innovation Lead at Bosch, discussing co-creation strategy and partnership approaches.
• Signify (formerly Philips Lighting)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured on Brand Lab Series podcast - interview with Maarten Pieters, Head of Co-Creation and People Insight at Signify, discussing co-creation methodology and user experience design.
• Away LuggageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured case study on Brand Lab Series - Away was founded on co-creation principles, interviewing 800 people before designing products.
• Ski TeamcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProduction partner for healthcare creative campaigns. Milwaukee-based creative content agency and production company with 30 years of combined production experience. Worked on Network Health Medicare advertising campaign.
• Thatch FilmscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProduction partner dedicated to art of filmmaking. Works with agencies and direct clients worldwide to create content and stories driven by aesthetic curiosity exploring common humanity.
• FilmbutchercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAward-winning post-production house serving brands throughout the country. Handles spot work, social content and feature films with dedication to quality editing.
• UCANflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership with Chicago non-profit providing support for at-risk youth. Created storytelling campaigns, documentary videos, and photography. The Power of Potential Campaign raised over $21 million.
• MediaflycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated brand and industry videos for B2B sales enablement platform. Partnership included long and short form brand videos, as well as CPG, Financial Services, and Manufacturing industry videos.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Big Duck: Branding agency focused on nonprofit and purpose-driven organizations — comparable to AE Marketing Group's UCAN and non-profit segment work but at smaller scale.
• Mekanic: Boutique brand strategy and creative shop for challenger and high-growth companies — comparable size, methodology-driven positioning, and mid-market enterprise target segment to AE Marketing Group.

Direct peers

• Lippincott: Brand strategy and design firm advising Fortune 500 clients on brand positioning, identity systems and customer experience — a comparable boutique-scale competitor serving enterprise C-Suite buyers.
• Siegel+Gale: Boutique brand strategy and design consultancy focused on simplicity-driven branding, with overlapping offerings in brand positioning and customer experience transformation for enterprise buyers.
• Red Antler: Boutique branding agency specializing in challenger and growth-stage brand strategy across B2B and B2C — closely comparable to AE Marketing Group's challenger brand work with Simple Mills, Rumi Spice and healthcare clients.
• MetaLab: Design and branding agency combining strategy, identity and product/marketing creative for technology and consumer brands — overlaps significantly with AE Marketing Group's B2B/B2C mid-market positioning.

Regional players

• VSA Partners: Chicago-based design and brand strategy agency serving enterprise clients — directly comparable geography and offering mix to AE Marketing Group's Chicago-headquartered enterprise brand practice.

Broad incumbents

• Landor & Fitch: Large international brand consultancy with strategy, design and brand transformation offerings that map closely to AE Marketing Group's mix of brand strategy and creative production for enterprise clients.
• Interbrand: Global brand strategy consultancy offering brand positioning, naming, identity and analytics — directly comparable service line to AE Marketing Group's Enterprise Lab Series and Storytelling Lab Series, but at significantly larger scale and global footprint.
• Huge: Digital experience and brand transformation agency serving enterprise clients with strategy, design and technology execution — comparable buyer segment and outcome-driven engagement model to AE Marketing Group.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AEmarketing
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCoASmaAn8uzWh0KRq3ePpZQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/AEGroupChicago
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ae-marketing-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/aemarketinggroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 AE Marketing Group