Tiller

What Tiller does

Tiller LLC is a privately held, founder-owned B2B marketing communications agency founded in 2003 by Rob Densen, headquartered in Millburn, New Jersey. The firm operates three core service divisions — Tiller Advocacy, Tiller Financial, and Tiller Philanthropy — that design and execute integrated campaigns for enterprise financial services firms and non-profit organizations, with the unifying "Cause Commerce" framework linking business missions with social impact. Its core capability is original public opinion polling and research, which generates media-worthy content that positions clients as thought leaders in financial services, advocacy, and corporate social responsibility.

Service offerings span strategic assessment, communications strategy, message-box development, marketing programs, shareholder communications, press releases, speeches, white papers, collateral, op-eds, and cause-marketing partnerships. Select clients include AllianceBernstein, Allianz Global Investors, BlackRock, Envestnet, ING Foundation, JP Morgan Asset Management, Legg Mason, New York Life, Oppenheimer Funds, Sears, Comfort Zone Camp, and Lung Cancer Canada. The firm differentiates through award-winning work (PRSA Silver Anvil, Bulldog Awards No. 1 PR Program in America, PR Week Best Use of Research, Clinton Global Initiative recognition).

The business model is professional services revenue from customized, scope-based engagements on multi-year contracts. Distribution is direct sales to enterprise clients, with no public pricing. The firm has expanded its product surface with TIROTA (a purpose-driven content division launched in 2019 focused on social impact entertainment) and the Cause Comments social engagement platform. The team is small (11-50 employees, with seven named senior practitioners), and the company is founder-owned with no disclosed external investors or funding rounds.

Name

Tiller

Legal name

Tiller LLC

Website

https://tillerllc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tiller is a privately held, founder-owned B2B marketing communications agency founded in 2003, serving enterprise financial services firms and non-profits through advocacy, financial services, and philanthropy practice areas powered by original public opinion polling.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marketing Communications Services

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (541820)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Technology & B2B PR (BPAFADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Product & Brand PR (Consumer & B2B) (BPAFADAH), Technology & B2B PR (MPAAADAC)

Keywords

• Marketing communications agency
• Advocacy marketing
• Financial services PR
• Corporate philanthropy consulting
• Public opinion polling

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

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. Marketing Communications Services: Professional services revenue from designing and executing marketing communications campaigns for corporate advocacy, financial services positioning, and philanthropic initiatives. Services include strategic assessment, communications strategy, message boxes, marketing programs, shareholder communications, press releases, speeches, white papers, collateral, and op-eds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Tiller is a B2B marketing communications agency that designs and executes strategic advocacy, financial services, and philanthropic campaigns for enterprise financial services firms and non-profit organizations. The firm produces original public opinion polling, develops message strategy and marketing programs, and runs cause marketing initiatives that align clients' business missions with social impact. Its three practice areas — Tiller Advocacy, Tiller Financial, and Tiller Philanthropy — deliver campaigns, media relations, shareholder communications, and partnership programs on a customized, engagement-based basis.

Product overview

Tiller is a marketing communications agency founded in 2003, offering three core service divisions: Tiller Advocacy, Tiller Financial, and Tiller Philanthropy. These divisions work with clients across financial services, nonprofits, and corporate social responsibility initiatives. The company also operates TIROTA, a purpose-driven content division focused on social impact entertainment, and offers the Cause Comments social engagement platform. The portfolio is unified by the company's 'Cause Commerce' approach that links business missions with social impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TIROTA: Tiller's purpose-driven content division launched in 2019, designed to enhance the societal impact and bottom-line success of issue-focused motion picture, TV, streaming and music content.
• Cause Comments

Products and services

• Tiller Advocacy Marketing communications service focused on corporate advocacy, helping organizations build brand and business by advancing the public interest through original polling and media-worthy campaigns.
• Tiller Financial Financial services marketing communications offering strategic assessment, communications strategy, marketing programs, shareholder communications, and white papers for investment management clients.
• Tiller Philanthropy Philanthropic marketing service that helps corporations align charitable dollars and employee volunteering with critical social needs and core business expertise.
• TIROTA Tiller's purpose-driven content division focused on social impact entertainment, working with film, TV, streaming, and music content to enhance societal impact and bottom-line success.
• Cause Comments Social engagement platform for driving conversations around social causes and issues.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ million media impressions in less than six months for Sears campaign
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• PBS Independent LensminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership for Ferguson Rises documentary premiere on PBS Independent Lens (November 2021). Film won 2021 Tribeca Film Festival's online Audience Choice Award.
• Mobolaji OlambiwonnuminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Director and Producer of Ferguson Rises documentary. Tiller team advised on social impact strategies for the film.
• TIROTAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 January 2019Purpose-driven content division of Tiller launched in partnership to enhance societal impact and bottom-line success of issue-focused motion picture, TV, streaming and music content. Runs annual TIROTA/Finish Line Social Impact Script Competition. Co-executive produced Ferguson Rises documentary and co-produced Foster Boy film.
• Finish LineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of annual TIROTA/Finish Line Social Impact Script Competition searching for new scripts raising awareness and inspiring change around critical social issues.
• Saving PromiseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDomestic violence awareness and prevention organization. Tiller conducted national public opinion poll uncovering declines in mental states and increased anxiety during COVID-19.
• Fix Foster CareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition co-created by Tiller to advocate for America's 430,000 foster children. Inspired by film Foster Boy which was co-produced by Tiller's TIROTA division.
• First Star, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization focused on improving educational support for foster children. Partner for the Stop For Profit Foster Care campaign and petition.
• Israel Cancer Research FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTiller CEO Rob Densen serves as ICRF President. Tiller supported virtual Ribbons of Hope Gala hosted by Jason Alexander which broke records for funding allocated to cancer research.
• Shaquille O'NealminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNBA Hall of Famer executive produced Foster Boy film. Tiller's TIROTA division co-produced the film and developed advocacy platform.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sloane & Company: Boutique financial communications and investor relations firm. Direct peer to Tiller Financial given shared financial-services client base and similar firm size.
• Peppercomm: Mid-sized, purpose-driven integrated communications agency with comparable cause-marketing and CSR focus. Direct peer to Tiller in boutique scale and social-impact positioning.
• Prosek Partners: Boutique financial-services PR specialist of comparable size with strong mutual-fund and asset-manager client base. Direct functional peer to Tiller's Tiller Financial practice given overlapping customer profiles and service offerings.
• ICR: Strategic communications and advisory firm with a strong financial services practice. Direct peer to Tiller given overlapping investor relations and corporate positioning capabilities.
• Glover Park Group (FTI Consulting): Advocacy, public affairs, and corporate communications firm (now part of FTI Consulting). Direct peer to Tiller Advocacy given shared focus on issue advocacy and stakeholder communications.
• Abernathy MacGregor: Specialist financial communications and shareholder engagement firm. Direct peer to Tiller in serving asset managers and corporates with strategic communications.

Broad incumbents

• Ogilvy PR: Global public relations network and former employer of Tiller President Jim Marren. Broad incumbent that competes for the same financial services and corporate advocacy clients Tiller serves.
• Brunswick Group: Global strategic communications firm with deep financial services practice. Broader incumbent peer that competes for the same asset-manager and corporate advocacy mandates at greater scale.
• Edelman: Largest global public relations firm with extensive financial services, CSR, and purpose-led practices. Broad incumbent that competes with Tiller on enterprise advocacy engagements and ESG positioning.
• Ketchum: Major global PR firm (part of Omnicom) with award-winning financial services and CSR practices. Broad incumbent competing for enterprise cause-marketing and advocacy mandates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CauseComments
• Facebookfacebook.com/Tiller-LLC-Advocacy-Marketing-Rese
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tiller-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Tiller