Extra Credit Projects

What Extra Credit Projects does

Extra Credit Projects (ECP) is a privately held, full-service advertising and design agency founded on April 1, 2006 in Grand Rapids, Michigan by Rob Jackson. The firm provides integrated creative, branding, digital, out-of-home, print, and media services to enterprise and mid-market clients across healthcare, tourism, education, financial services, food and beverage, and entertainment. Its client roster includes Gerald R. Ford International Airport, Holland Hospital, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea, Michigan State University, Tulyp Hotel, EarthDay.org, Lamar Advertising, and Van Andel Institute. ECP has accumulated 750+ industry awards and is recognized as the most-awarded agency in West Michigan.

In 2015, ECP launched Extra Credit Media (ECM), a wholly-owned sister agency that provides full-service media planning, strategy, and buying across OOH, digital, social, broadcast TV, streaming radio, print, and experiential channels — effectively converting the firm from a creative boutique into a full-stack integrated agency. The combined ECP/ECM entity operates from its Grand Rapids headquarters and a Detroit office opened to support a growing regional and national client base, with a headcount in the low double digits (12+). No proprietary technology platform or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed; the underlying offering is human-led creative and media services delivered on a quote-based, project-scoping pricing model with multi-year contracts on key accounts.

In 2025, entrepreneur and investor Bryan Houck acquired a majority stake, taking on the Principal & Executive Director role while founder Rob Jackson transitioned out after nearly two decades. Under the new ownership, the company has positioned itself for growth through geographic expansion, leadership additions across creative, digital, and account functions, and continued recognition as a top regional winner at American Advertising Federation West Michigan (2022, 2025, 2026).

Name

Extra Credit Projects

Legal name

Extra Credit Projects

Website

https://extracreditprojects.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Extra Credit Projects is a Grand Rapids-based, full-service advertising and design agency serving enterprise and mid-market clients across healthcare, tourism, education, F&B, and entertainment, with sister agency Extra Credit Media providing integrated media planning and buying.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Advertising Services

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA)

Keywords

• Advertising agency services
• Media planning buying
• Brand strategy design
• Out-of-home advertising
• Digital marketing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Advertising and Design Services: Full-service agency providing advertising, design, media planning, and strategic marketing services to clients across various industries including tourism, healthcare, education, financial services, and entertainment.
2. Media Planning and Buying: Full-service media planning and buying through sister agency Extra Credit Media, managing campaigns across OOH, digital, social media, radio, and television.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Extra Credit Projects is a full-service advertising and design agency providing branding, creative direction, strategic marketing, digital, and out-of-home advertising services. Through its sister agency Extra Credit Media, it also delivers full-service media planning, strategy, buying, and analytics across traditional, digital, broadcast, social, and experiential channels for local, regional, and national clients.

Product overview

Extra Credit Projects (ECP) is a full-service advertising and design agency that operates as the primary brand, while Extra Credit Media (ECM) functions as a sister agency specializing in media planning and buying. Together they offer integrated creative, digital, and media services. The core ECP brand provides advertising, branding, creative direction, and digital marketing services including out-of-home advertising, print, video production, website design, and social media advertising. Extra Credit Media extends these capabilities with dedicated media planning, strategy, buying, and analytics services across traditional and digital platforms including broadcast TV, streaming radio, out-of-home, digital display, social media, and experiential media.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Extra Credit Media: Sister agency providing full-service media planning and buying for ECP clients and beyond.

Products and services

• Extra Credit Media (ECM) Sister agency providing full-service media planning, strategy, and buying services including out-of-home, digital display, social media, broadcast TV, streaming radio, print, transit, experiential, and search engine marketing for ECP clients and beyond.
• Creative Services Creative direction, graphic design, logo and identity design, copywriting, video production, radio advertising, television advertising, and tradeshow design delivered to brand clients.
• Branding Services Brand standards development, style guidelines, logo and identity design, and annual reports for enterprise and mid-market clients.
• Digital Services Website design, digital web advertising, social media advertising, e-promotions, and email marketing for ECP brand clients.
• Out of Home Advertising Traditional and digital out-of-home advertising, transit advertising, fleet graphics, and nontraditional/ambient media placements.
• Print Services Brochure design, catalog design, collateral design, direct mail, poster design, print advertising, sales kits, and sell sheets.
• Data and Analytics Campaign performance tracking including monthly reporting on impressions, clicks, conversions, and real-time strategy adjustments for ECP and ECM clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 199M impressions delivered for Gerald R. Ford International Airport brand campaign with 19% passenger increase
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• EarthDay.orgcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Ongoing collaboration since 2020 for Earth Day awareness campaigns. ECP has collaborated with EarthDay.org and the Out of Home Advertising Association of America to promote Earth Day awareness. Efforts have included campaigns engaging corporate decision makers, targeting government officials at the 2024 international plastic policy summit, and renewable energy awareness through the 'Our Power, Our Planet' theme. Messages have run on thousands of displays across the US, Africa, India, and Canada, delivering millions of impressions.
• Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with OAAA for public service advertising campaigns. ECP works with OAAA on Earth Day initiatives and other OOH industry efforts. The partnership has generated extensive media coverage and industry recognition, with the 2024 'Plastic Doesn't Give a Fork' story receiving over 400 media pick-ups globally.
• Sweetwaters Coffee & TeacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership since 2022 supporting Lunar New Year promotional efforts and ongoing marketing strategy. ECP creates custom illustrations for Lunar New Year commemorative glassware, temporary tattoos, apparel, in-store promotions, and social media campaigns. Works in tandem with Sweetwaters marketing team producing dozens of assets every quarter across nearly 40 franchise locations nationwide.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mother Design: Creative agency within the Mother network focused on branding, design, and integrated campaigns. Comparable to ECP as a creative-first agency of similar boutique scale offering branding, design, and integrated campaign execution.
• Campbell Ewald: Detroit-based advertising and marketing agency with deep heritage serving national brands in healthcare, automotive, and consumer verticals. Comparable to ECP as a Michigan-anchored creative agency competing for similar enterprise accounts.
• Doner: Independent full-service creative agency headquartered in metro Detroit. Comparable to ECP as a Michigan-based independent offering integrated creative, media, and digital services to enterprise brands.
• BVK: Milwaukee-based independent integrated marketing agency with deep healthcare, travel/tourism, and consumer expertise. Comparable to ECP in size, vertical mix (healthcare, tourism), and Midwestern independent positioning.
• Hanon McKendry: Kalamazoo, Michigan-based full-service advertising and branding agency. Comparable to ECP as a Michigan-headquartered independent of similar size serving regional and national clients across industries.
• Perich Partners: Michigan-based independent full-service creative agency offering branding, design, and advertising services. Comparable to ECP as a similarly sized Midwestern independent competing for regional enterprise and mid-market clients.

Broad incumbents

• Wieden+Kennedy: Portland-based independent creative agency known for award-winning work and global brand clients. Comparable to ECP as an independent, creative-led agency that has scaled beyond its regional roots while maintaining a strong award-winning brand identity.
• Leo Burnett: Chicago-headquartered global advertising agency within Publicis Groupe. Comparable to ECP as a Chicago-adjacent creative agency competing for enterprise brand work across the Midwest, though at materially larger scale.
• Barkley: Kansas City-based independent full-service agency with deeper scale and a broader service portfolio including media, PR, and digital. Comparable to ECP as an independent creative agency competing for mid-market and enterprise accounts outside major coastal markets.
• The Richards Group: Dallas-based independent full-service advertising agency with significantly larger scale and a wider service offering. Comparable to ECP as an independent creative-led agency pursuing national brand work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/extracreditprojects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/extra-credit-projects
• Instagraminstagram.com/extracreditprojects
• Xx.com/Extracreditproj

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Extra Credit Projects