The High Road Agency

What The High Road Agency does

The High Road Agency is a full-service marketing, branding, and advertising agency headquartered in Johnson City, Tennessee (within the Appalachian Highlands/Tri-Cities region), founded in 2013 and operating as a privately held subsidiary of Adams MultiMedia (APG). The agency delivers a comprehensive portfolio of services spanning video production, web development (WordPress with Divi builder), creative design, search engine marketing, GPS-based geofencing, targeted advertising, social media management, public relations, promotional products, online reputation management, and co-op marketing program administration. Its core technology stack consists of common digital marketing and content tools rather than proprietary platforms, and there is no disclosed AI/ML capability.

The agency's customer base is regionally concentrated but vertically diverse, including SMBs, tourism and destination marketing organizations (Visit Kingsport, Visit Morristown, Explore Bristol, Sevierville Visitors Center, Athens Visitors Bureau), nonprofits (Charlotte Community Foundation, Touch A Life, Fun Fest, Symphony of the Mountains), municipal entities (City of Bristol), and select enterprise accounts (Kubota, BCM, MeadowView Conference Resort). Revenue is generated through project-based and retainer professional services engagements with custom, quote-based pricing and monthly billing cadence. Go-to-market is sales-led and direct, delivered via consultations and ongoing partnerships; there is no self-serve, productized, or platform offering.

Headcount is reported in the 11-50 range, with a small identified leadership team including an Interim Director (Michael Martoccia, concurrently APG's VP-Digital), a Director of Digital Advertising and Social Media, and a Director. The High Road's distribution advantage derives primarily from its parent APG's network, which spans 15 states and reaches over 20,000 businesses monthly, rather than from differentiated technology. The company has no disclosed funding rounds, no M&A activity, and no external investors; it operates as a stable, privately held professional services subsidiary within a larger regional media group.

Name

The High Road Agency

Legal name

The High Road Agency

Website

https://thehighroadagency.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The High Road Agency is a full-service marketing, branding, and advertising agency based in Johnson City, Tennessee, serving SMBs, tourism bureaus, and nonprofits primarily in the Appalachian Highlands and broader Southeast US through video, web, digital, and social media services as a subsidiary of Adams MultiMedia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingsport

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

Revenue model

1. Marketing and Advertising Services: Project-based and retainer-based marketing services including branding, advertising campaigns, digital marketing, web development, social media management, public relations, and video production for regional business clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The High Road Agency is a full-service marketing, branding, and advertising agency that delivers video production, web development, creative design, search engine marketing, geofencing, targeted advertising, social media management, public relations, promotional products, reputation management, and co-op marketing services. Engagements are delivered as customized projects or ongoing retainers to regional businesses, tourism organizations, and nonprofits in the Appalachian Highlands and surrounding states.

Product overview

The High Road Agency is a full-service marketing, branding, and advertising agency offering a comprehensive suite of digital and traditional marketing services. Their portfolio includes Video Production, Web Development, Creative Design, Search Engine Marketing, Geofencing, Targeted Advertising, Social Media Management, Public Relations, Promotional Products, Reputation Management, and Co-Op Marketing services. The agency operates at the intersection of future-focused strategy and expert execution across digital, traditional, and social channels, serving clients in the Appalachian Highlands region and beyond.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Video Production Storyboarding, scripting, production, and content creation services for promotional videos used to promote products, services, or brands for business, tourism, and nonprofit clients.
• Web Development Website development, content creation, and UX/UI design services for clients seeking to establish or refresh their digital presence, built on the WordPress/Divi platform.
• Creative Design Identity, digital, and print design services including logo design, digital ads, print ads, and GIF design for clients across industries.
• Search Engine Marketing Search engine marketing with strategy, reporting, and lead generation designed to achieve first-page Google visibility for client brands.
• Geofencing Location-based marketing using GPS-defined virtual geographic boundaries to deliver targeted advertising when mobile devices enter or exit specified locations.
• Targeted Advertising Research-driven targeted advertising that delivers customized messages to specific audiences based on brand and demographic analysis.
• Social Media Management Social media strategy, content creation, and graphics services deployed across multiple social platforms for clients.
• Public Relations Strategic communications, message planning, media relations, crisis strategy, media training, collateral materials, product launches, and event management for client brands.
• Promotional Products Custom promotional product sourcing and strategic marketing implementation for client campaigns and events.
• Reputation Management Online reputation building and maintenance through customer review management, mentions monitoring, and online listing management to promote positive search results.
• Co-Op Marketing Cooperative marketing fund management, team collaboration, and reporting services for clients participating in manufacturer co-op programs.

Named customers16 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

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered significant, core and minor.

• Charlotte Community FoundationsignificantGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership since 2019 with nonprofit organization in Punta Gorda, FL. HRA provides website development, video production, social media management, newsletter design, and advertising services.
• Adams MultiMedia (APG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company of The High Road Agency. Mike Martoccia serves as Vice President-Digital for APG and current Interim Director at HRA. APG is a media company subsidiary that provides organizational backing and shared resources across the network.
• Explore BristolminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTourism organization for Bristol, TN/VA. HRA created the Explore Bristol Holiday Ornament Photo Station, a 10-foot-high Winter Wonderland attraction featuring holiday lights.
• Visit MorristownminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTourism organization for Morristown, TN. HRA produced eight 60-90-second promotional videos highlighting downtown, parks, and outdoor activities.
• Athens Messenger / Athens Visitors BureauminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Ohio-based tourism organization to create a new, user-friendly website.
• Touch A LifesignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit developing creative ways to bring healing to at-risk children. Partnership since 2018 including fundraising campaign, print pieces, 2018 impact report, and social media campaign.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Moxley Carmichael: Knoxville-based public relations and advertising agency serving regional and East Tennessee clients. Closely comparable to HRA in service mix, regional positioning, and target customer profile (regional businesses, tourism, government).
• Bernstein-Rein: Kansas City, MO-based independent full-service advertising agency with comparable scale, broad service offering (creative, media, digital, PR), and regional business orientation.
• Baldwin&: Raleigh, NC-based full-service creative agency serving regional and mid-market brands across branding, digital, and advertising — a peer in size, geography (Southeast), and full-service model.
• Tombras Group: Knoxville, TN-based independent full-service advertising agency offering creative, media, digital, and PR services to regional and national clients. The most direct comparable in geography, scale, and service mix to HRA.
• Lewis Communications: Birmingham, AL-based full-service advertising and PR agency serving regional and Southeast clients across multiple verticals including tourism and B2B. Comparable to HRA in full-service positioning and regional focus.
• The King Agency: Johnson City, TN-based full-service agency operating in the same Tri-Cities/Appalachian Highlands market as HRA, with overlapping service offerings in branding, digital, and traditional advertising for regional clients.
• Swanson Russell: Lincoln, NE-based full-service agency offering advertising, digital, PR, and media services to regional brands. Comparable to HRA in size, full-service positioning, and mid-market regional client focus.
• Ervin & Smith: Omaha, NE-based full-service advertising agency similar in size and scope to HRA, offering brand strategy, digital, social, and media services to mid-market and regional clients.
• BVK: Milwaukee-based independent full-service marketing agency with deep expertise in healthcare, tourism, and destination marketing — closely paralleling HRA's tourism vertical strength.

Broad incumbents

• VMLY&R: Global brand, advertising, and customer experience agency within WPP with regional offices in the Southeast. Represents the scaled incumbent competition that HRA faces when pursuing larger regional accounts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HighRoadAgency
• Facebookfacebook.com/thehighroadagency
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/highroadagency
• Instagraminstagram.com/thehighroadagency

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 The High Road Agency