North Star Marketing

What North Star Marketing does

North Star Marketing is a privately held, boutique creative branding and marketing agency headquartered at 245 Butler Avenue, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, founded in 1989 by Kae Groshong (Wagner) as B & G Marketing Services and renamed North Star Marketing in 1998. The firm provides an integrated portfolio of professional services organized around Branding, Marketing, Public Relations, Interactive Media/Web Design, Social Media, Sales Consulting, Web Marketing, and Web PR, supported by proprietary methodologies including Branding Inside (internal brand engagement), Newsmakers PR, Closed Loop Marketing (lead generation launched 2011), NowVue (real-time website analytics, 2008), and StarChek (26-point website audit, 2008). The agency serves primarily food and beverage manufacturers, industrial manufacturing companies, and lifestyle/consumer brands, with named enterprise clients including Kroger c-store divisions (Kwik Shop, Loaf 'N Jug, Quik Stop, Tom Thumb, Turkey Hill), Snyder's of Hanover, Furman's Foods, Hatfield Quality Meats, TIC Gums, Fenner Precision, Smiths Aerospace, Baldwin Hardware, and Aerzen USA.

The business model is service-based with project and retainer engagements, supplemented by ancillary revenue from published books (The CEO's Little Black Book on Branding; The Power Principles of Marketing), a 152-issue Marketing Tips newsletter, the Copywriting Café membership program, and the Unlimited Laser Copywriting coaching program sold via its own e-commerce store and Amazon. Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven: direct consulting sales targeting enterprise and mid-market clients, supplemented by referrals, networking, and active participation in Sales and Marketing Executives International and TEC; Kae Wagner also generates leads through speaking engagements, hosted Brand Summits, and thought-leadership content. Pricing is custom and not publicly disclosed. The firm transitioned to a partnership-driven structure in 2003, holds no external institutional investment, and operates as an independent founder-led entity with 11 named staff members (firmographic range 11–50) primarily serving the Central Pennsylvania and Mid-Atlantic markets.

Name

North Star Marketing

Legal name

North Star Marketing Inc.

Website

https://northstar-m.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

North Star Marketing is a Lancaster, PA-based boutique creative branding and marketing agency founded in 1989, serving food manufacturers, industrial firms, and lifestyle brands with integrated branding, PR, web design, social media, and sales consulting across the Mid-Atlantic.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marketing & Branding Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Experiential, Event & Sponsorship Marketing (BPAFAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Employer Brand Strategy & Talent Branding (BPAFAEAH)

Keywords

• Brand marketing services
• Public relations agency
• Web design services
• Social media management
• Sales consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Lancaster

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Branding & Marketing Consulting: Core revenue stream from providing integrated branding, marketing, public relations, interactive media, social media, and sales consulting services to business clients
2. Speaking & Training: Revenue from Kae Wagner's speaking engagements on marketing and branding topics
3. Book Sales: Online sales of published books - 'The CEO's Little Black Book on Branding' and 'The Power Principles of Marketing'

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

North Star Marketing is a full-service branding and marketing agency that delivers integrated branding, marketing strategy, public relations, interactive media/web design, social media management, and sales consulting services primarily to food, industrial, and consumer product companies. The agency combines proprietary methodologies (Branding Inside, Closed Loop Marketing, NowVue, StarChek) with traditional and digital marketing tactics to help clients strengthen brand positioning, generate qualified leads, and drive sales. The firm also monetizes publications (two branding books) and an educational copywriting membership program.

Product overview

North Star Marketing is a full-service boutique marketing and branding agency headquartered in Lancaster, PA, founded in 1989 by Kae Groshong Wagner. The company offers an integrated portfolio of professional services organized around core capabilities: Branding Services, Marketing Services, Public Relations (including the Newsmakers PR program), Interactive Media/Web Design (featuring proprietary tools like NowVue and StarChek), Social Media Services, Sales Consulting (including the Branding Inside program), Web Marketing, and Web PR. The agency complements its service offerings with educational products including publications such as 'The CEO's Little Black Book on Branding' and 'The Power Principles of Marketing,' membership programs like The Copywriting Café and Unlimited Laser Copywriting Program, and research services including Brand Perception Assessments and Market Opportunity Assessments. The company also operates an e-commerce store for selling publications and provides specialized tools like the Business Strategies Assessment for consultants. North Star positions itself as an integrated marketing communications firm that reinforces brand positions long-term while increasing sales short-term, serving clients across food, manufacturing, retail, and professional services sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Branding Services Strategic branding services including brand development, positioning, and brand equity building based on the 8 Brand Building Blocks and Brand Basics methodology, delivered to businesses seeking to identify and strengthen their brand.
• Marketing Services Comprehensive marketing services including market research, strategic planning, and marketing plan development that works in conjunction with branding to drive business growth for client companies.
• Public Relations Public relations services including media placement, press releases, media pitches, and third-party endorsement strategies, including the Newsmakers PR program for generating qualified leads through media coverage.
• Interactive Media / Web Design Website design and development services including content management systems, e-commerce platforms, and interactive web applications, supported by proprietary NowVue real-time user tracking technology.
• Social Media Services Social media management services covering content development, Facebook ads, custom graphics, and analytics across Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
• Sales Consulting Sales consulting services including the proprietary Branding Inside program to help sales teams become fully engaged in the brand, improving customer loyalty and reducing turnover.
• Web Marketing Digital marketing services including SEO, SEM, email marketing, affiliate marketing, and web analytics designed to maximize brand exposure and drive traffic.
• Web PR Online public relations services including HTML newsletter development, online press releases, web news rooms, podcasts, and blogger outreach programs.
• Business Consulting and Advisory Services Business consulting services assisting consultants and change makers in selling to the corporate market, including the Business Strategies Assessment tool.
• The Copywriting Café Monthly membership program providing copywriting education through two 60-minute group sessions per month, practical exercises, Hot or Not feedback sessions, and techniques for creating engaging copy.
• Unlimited Laser Copywriting Program Ongoing copywriting support program where clients receive direct call reviews of their copy with guidance on the 'new way of copywriting' methodology.
• The CEO's Little Black Book on Branding Branding guide covering 8 Brand Building Blocks and Brand Basics, written for CEOs and marketing teams. Sold via Amazon and the company online store.
• The Power Principles of Marketing Marketing guide covering ten foundational principles of marketing at strategic and tactical levels, based on North Star's Power Principles of Marketing methodology.
• Brand Perception Assessments Market research service enabling companies to retain and grow existing business through customer and prospect perception analysis for strategic planning.
• Market Opportunity Assessments Research service for identifying new market segments that hold growth promise while maintaining brand identity.
• Newsmakers PR Program Public relations program designed to generate qualified leads through media coverage and third-party endorsements from editors and publications.
• North Star Online Store E-commerce platform on northstar-m.com for selling the firm's branding/marketing publications and resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• TIC Gums ad ranked #1 in Food Business News readership survey with 69% recall
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Byers' ChoicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 August 2006Byers' Choice, known for collectible Christmas carolers and named one of 'The Best Places to Work in PA,' engaged North Star Marketing for brand analysis and sales channel review. North Star to conduct comprehensive brand evaluation.
• MANTEC, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMANTEC named North Star Marketing as strategic partner to assist manufacturing companies in Central Pennsylvania with integrated programs reinforcing brand position long-term while increasing sales short-term.
• Tweed-WeberminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for market research capabilities, specifically for Brand Perception Assessments and Market Opportunity Assessments.
• Flinchbaugh Engineering Inc.minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNorth Star developed complete brand update, marketing plan, logo refresh, new tagline, and bold new website for Flinchbaugh Engineering.
• LaTiendaUSAminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNorth Star ramped up PR efforts for importer of handcrafted copper lighting and furnishings, achieving placements with design specifiers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Allen & Gerritsen: Allen & Gerritsen is a Philadelphia-based integrated marketing, advertising, and media agency. Comparable as a full-service Mid-Atlantic agency with a similar service portfolio spanning branding, PR, digital, and media.
• Furia Rubel Communications: Furia Rubel is a Doylestown, PA-based integrated marketing and public relations agency. Comparable as a Pennsylvania-based integrated communications firm with a similar focus on PR, branding, and B2B/professional services clients.
• Godfrey: Godfrey is an integrated B2B marketing and brand strategy agency also headquartered in Lancaster, PA. Comparable as a same-geography, similar-sized integrated agency with overlapping B2B and industrial client focus and a similar mix of branding, PR, and digital services.
• Aloft Group: Aloft Group is a Lancaster, PA-area branding and marketing agency. Comparable as a regional boutique branding agency with a similar vertical focus on manufacturing and industrial clients in Central Pennsylvania.
• Red Tettemer O'Connell + Partners: Red Tettemer is an independent, Philadelphia-based creative and integrated marketing agency. Comparable as a Pennsylvania-headquartered independent agency offering brand strategy, creative, PR, and digital services to a mix of consumer and B2B clients.
• Brownstein Group: Brownstein is a Philadelphia-based independent creative, branding, PR, and digital agency. Comparable as a Pennsylvania-headquartered full-service agency with a similar integrated service mix and a track record serving enterprise and consumer brands.
• Sagefrog Marketing Group: Sagefrog is a Pennsylvania-based B2B integrated marketing agency offering branding, PR, digital, and content services. Comparable as a PA-based boutique integrated agency with similar B2B and manufacturing/industrial client base.
• Neff (Neff Associates): Neff is a Philadelphia-based integrated marketing, advertising, and PR agency. Comparable as a PA-based full-service agency serving B2B and consumer clients with a similar mix of creative, digital, and PR services.

Regional players

• MGH (MGH Advertising): MGH is a Baltimore-based full-service advertising, marketing, and public relations agency. Comparable as a Mid-Atlantic regional full-service agency with overlapping capabilities in branding, PR, digital, and social.
• GKV: GKV is a Baltimore-based full-service advertising and marketing agency. Comparable as a Mid-Atlantic full-service agency with a similar integrated service mix serving consumer and B2B brands.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/northstarpa
• Instagraminstagram.com/nstar1001

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 North Star Marketing