What Czarnowski Collective does

Czarnowski Collective is a Chicago-headquartered, privately held experiential marketing firm founded in 1947 that delivers integrated brand experiences across trade shows, corporate events, live experiences, exhibits, and immersive environments. Following Platinum Equity's January 19, 2026 acquisition from the Nagle family, the company operates with 501-1,000 employees and is led by CEO Jim Milanowski, with founder-family principal Mark Nagle serving as Chairman Emeritus. The firm is organized around four specialized studios — Czarnowski (events and exhibits), Public School (experiential creative), Infusion (digital and visualization), and Assembly (temporary structures) — designed to operate independently or collaboratively, with the explicit goal of eliminating the silos of the traditional agency model. In-house fabrication and engineering capabilities cover strategy, creative design, fabrication, on-site execution, digital content, and temporary architecture under a single roof, reducing reliance on external vendors. The business operates as a B2B project-based professional services firm, selling directly to Fortune 500 and multinational enterprise clients such as Toyota, Panasonic, Coca-Cola, Canva, GM, Red Bull, USPS, Green Bay Packers, Dunkin, F5, Yves Saint Laurent, Museum of the Future, and KPMG. Pricing is quote-driven and not publicly disclosed; revenue mechanics are built on project fees for integrated experiential engagements rather than recurring subscriptions. Distribution is exclusively direct enterprise sales with no self-serve, e-commerce, or channel partner motion. The company's marketing footprint is anchored by its website (czarco.com), a portfolio-led content strategy, the InCZights thought leadership property, and broad social media presence.

Name

Czarnowski Collective

Legal name

Czarnowski Collective

Website

https://czarnowskicollective.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Czarnowski Collective is a Chicago-based experiential marketing firm, founded in 1947 and now Platinum Equity-owned, that delivers integrated events, exhibits, environments, and brand activations to Fortune 500 enterprise clients through four specialized studios spanning strategy, creative, fabrication, digital, and temporary structures.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

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, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Experiential Marketing Services: Project-based fees for integrated experiential marketing services including strategy, creative design, fabrication, on-site execution, digital content, and temporary structures for trade shows, corporate events, and live experiences

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Czarnowski Collective is a B2B experiential marketing firm that designs, fabricates, and executes brand experiences—events, exhibits, environments, and digital activations—for enterprise clients. Services span strategy, creative and design, in-house fabrication, on-site execution, digital content, and temporary structures, delivered through four specialized studios under one roof. The firm serves Fortune 500 brands such as Toyota, Panasonic, Coca-Cola, Canva, GM, Red Bull, and USPS on a project-based engagement model.

Product overview

Czarnowski Collective is an experiential marketing firm offering integrated services for trade shows, corporate events, and live experiences through four specialized studios: Czarnowski (events and exhibits), Public School (experiential creative), Infusion (digital and visualization), and Assembly (temporary structures). The company provides end-to-end capabilities including strategy, creative and design, fabrication, on-site execution, digital services, temporary structures, and rentals, serving major brands such as Toyota, Panasonic, Coca-Cola, Canva, GM, Red Bull, and USPS.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Czarnowski: Events and exhibits studio providing strategy, creative, fabrication, and execution services for trade shows, corporate events, and live experiences. Backed by 70+ years of industry experience.
• Public School
• Infusion
• assembly

Products and services

• Strategy Strategic planning services for brand experiences and live events, offered as a standalone engagement or bundled within integrated experiential marketing programs.
• Creative + Design Creative and design services for brand experiences and event production, delivered as a contracted offering for enterprise brand activations and live events.
• Fabrication In-house fabrication and engineering services for exhibits and event structures, utilizing in-house facilities to enable rapid prototyping and eliminate external vendor dependencies.
• On-Site Execution On-site execution services for live events, trade shows, and corporate experiences, covering logistics, installation, and show management.
• Digital Digital services including content creation, motion graphics, and technology integration to extend brand experiences beyond physical events.
• Temporary Structures Temporary structure design, fabrication, and rental services offered through the Assembly studio, with emphasis on sustainability and responsible pricing.
• Rentals Rental services for event equipment and structures, enabling clients to source event infrastructure on a rental basis.
• Experiences Immersive experiential solutions designed to create emotional engagement and generate social sharing for enterprise brand clients.
• Exhibits Trade show and exhibition solutions designed to maximize square-foot impact for enterprise brands at events such as CES and industry conferences.
• Events Live event solutions for enterprise clients, spanning corporate events, brand activations, and large-scale experiential programs.
• Environments Immersive environment design solutions where physical spaces communicate brand stories, including pop-ups and permanent installations for luxury and enterprise brands.
• Czarnowski Studio (Events + Exhibits) Core events and exhibits studio offering services for trade shows and corporate events with strategy, creative, fabrication, and execution capabilities, backed by 70+ years of experience.
• Public School Studio (Experiential Creative) Experiential creative studio that challenges convention, breaks through noise, and connects brands with culture through innovative campaign development.
• Infusion Studio (Digital + Visualization) Digital and visualization studio providing hyper-real visuals, motion graphics, and immersive digital worlds that extend brand experiences beyond physical events.
• Assembly Studio (Temporary Structures) Temporary structures studio offering premium structures, signage, and interiors that are built sustainably and priced responsibly for events and exhibits.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sold-out debut and sold-out sequel events for Canva Create
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Freeman: Leading events and experiences company providing event strategy, design, digital, logistics, and on-site execution for trade shows and corporate events globally — a scaled direct peer.
• MKG: Independent experiential marketing and brand experience agency serving major brands with integrated strategy, creative, and production services — comparable mid-sized peer competing for similar enterprise engagements.
• GES (Global Experience Specialists): Major global provider of event and exhibition services including strategy, creative, fabrication, and on-site execution for trade shows and corporate experiences; directly comparable offering to Czarnowski's integrated capabilities.
• Sparks: Cheil-owned experiential marketing agency delivering brand experiences, exhibits, and events for global enterprise clients; comparable scope and customer base to Czarnowski Collective.
• Mosaic: Acosta-owned experiential marketing agency providing brand experiences, events, and retail activations for large enterprise clients across multiple categories — directly comparable service mix.
• Jack Morton Worldwide: IPG-owned global brand experience agency offering strategy, creative, and event/exhibit production for major enterprise clients; competes head-to-head with Czarnowski for large experiential RFPs.
• George P. Johnson Experience Marketing: One of the largest independently-held experiential marketing agencies in the world, providing end-to-end event, exhibit, and brand experience services to global enterprise brands — a direct competitor to Czarnowski's integrated studio model.

Emerging players

• MAS Event Design: Experiential event design and production firm focused on corporate and brand events with creative, fabrication, and execution capabilities — an emerging peer in a similar niche.
• Leverage Agency: Independent experiential marketing agency focused on lifestyle and consumer brand activations, often serving as a smaller alternative to firms like Czarnowski for brand experience work.

Broad incumbents

• TAIT: Global staging, structures, and live event production company with significant temporary structures and event fabrication capabilities; broader in scope but overlapping with Czarnowski's Assembly studio and large event production work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CzarnowskiCollective
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/czarnowskicollective

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Czarnowski Collective