Appleton Creative

What Appleton Creative does

Appleton Creative is a woman-owned, Orlando-based full-service marketing and advertising agency operating for over three decades under CEO and Creative Director Diana LaRue. The firm is organized around six integrated service modules — Strategy + Planning, Creative + Brand, Digital + Web, Media + Performance, Communications + Outreach, and Environmental + Interactive — covering strategy, creative, website and app development, digital and social marketing, video and animation, and media and public relations. Its technology stack centers on WordPress and Strapi CMS, HubSpot and Salesforce CRM integrations, Google Analytics, Google Ads, and the Adobe Creative Suite, with custom WordPress theme and plugin development and no pre-made templates. The agency also markets an explicit "AI Marketing Strategy" module and generative-AI content capabilities, though there is no evidence of proprietary AI models.

The agency's go-to-market is direct enterprise and mid-market field sales, with offices in Orlando (headquarters, 539 Delaney Avenue), Tampa Bay, and South Florida. Appleton serves both B2B and B2C clients across verticals including healthcare (Orlando Health, Nemours Children's Health), financial services (TBS, CNL Financial Group, Seaside National Bank), travel and leisure (Hilton Grand Vacations, Disney), real estate (Orlando Regional REALTOR Association), nonprofit and government (Orange County Library System, CareerSource Central Florida, UCF, Orlando International Airport). Documented client outcomes include a 355% revenue lift attributed to TBS campaigns since 2010, 144.84% YoY website user growth at Seaside Bank, 50+ million impressions for ORRA, and 45% lead increase for CareerSource.

Revenue is generated through project-based fees, retainer arrangements, and campaign-based billing for B2B and B2C clients; pricing is custom quote-based on scope and complexity with no public pricing. The company has no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, and operates as an independent private firm. Recognition includes consecutive Orlando Business Journal "Best Places to Work" designations from 2017 onward, the 2025 award, and industry honors from the American Advertising Federation (Addy, Golden Image), Telly, Davey, NYF, and PRSA. A sub-brand, CORE, houses corporate social responsibility programming with Habitat for Humanity, Zebra Coalition, and Children's Burn Foundation.

Name

Appleton Creative

Legal name

Appleton Creative

Website

https://appletoncreative.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Appleton Creative is a woman-owned, Orlando-based full-service marketing and advertising agency with three Florida offices, serving B2B and B2C clients across healthcare, financial services, travel, real estate, nonprofit, and government sectors through integrated strategy, creative, digital, video, and media/PR services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Full-Service Marketing Agency

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising Agencies (54181), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Creative & Brand Campaign Development (BPAFAAAB), Creative Concepting & Campaign Development (BPAFAEAD)

Keywords

• Full-service marketing agency
• Advertising services
• Digital marketing campaigns
• Brand strategy
• Web development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Marketing and Advertising Services: Full-service marketing agency providing strategic advertising and marketing solutions including research, creative design, web development, digital marketing, video production, and media/PR services. Revenue generated through project-based fees, retainer arrangements, and campaign-based billing for B2B and B2C clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Appleton Creative is a full-service marketing and advertising agency that delivers integrated strategy, creative, and marketing solutions. Core offerings span research and strategy, conceptual design, website and app development, digital and social marketing, video and animation, and media and public relations services for B2B and B2C clients.

Product overview

Appleton Creative is a full-service marketing and advertising agency offering a comprehensive portfolio of services organized into six core service areas: Strategy + Planning, Creative + Brand, Digital + Web, Media + Performance, Communications + Outreach, and Environmental + Interactive. The agency operates as a unified service platform rather than a software product, delivering integrated marketing solutions across traditional and digital channels. Services include strategic research, creative design, website/app development with CMS (WordPress, Strapi) and CRM integrations (HubSpot, Salesforce), digital/social marketing, video/animation production, and media/PR services. The agency serves diverse industries including healthcare, business/finance, real estate, travel/leisure, and consumer markets with both B2B and B2C clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CORE: Corporate social responsibility platform for community initiatives and giving back programs.

Products and services

• Research + Strategy
• Conceptual + Design
• Website + App Development
• Digital + Social Marketing
• Video + Animation
• Media + Public Relations

Quantifiable outcome

• 355% revenue increase for TBS Factoring since 2010
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

AI capability5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Habitat for Humanity of Greater Orlando & Osceola CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership supporting affordable housing initiatives. Appleton is a continuous sponsor and participant in Habitat for Humanity Women Build events, having built homes for women in need. The CEO serves on the Women Build Event Committee. Appleton creates promotional materials and advertisements for Women Build events and participated in the Operation Playhouse Program creating custom-themed playhouses for children and families.
• Zebra Coalition (now Zebra Youth)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAppleton's CEO Diana LaRue is a founding board member of this LGBTQ+ youth organization. Appleton developed the website and marketing collateral, created anti-bullying campaigns for Orange County Public School System, and designed event collateral for Zebra's 5K events. Appleton hosted a Pulse memorial exhibit to raise funds for the organization.
• Children's Burn Foundation of FloridaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAppleton facilitates art classes at Camp Tequesta, the Children's Burn Foundation's annual four-day camp for young burn survivors. Using various art mediums tailored to each child's abilities, they create opportunities for expression, healing, and confidence-building while supporting the foundation's mission.
• UCF Rosen College of Hospitality ManagementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with University of Central Florida's hospitality management college for various campus initiatives, Dr. Phillips Academic Commons at Downtown Campus projects, and UCF Town & Gown Council branding.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bigeye Agency: Orlando-based full-service creative and marketing agency of comparable size, serving B2B and B2C clients across healthcare, finance, and tourism — directly overlapping Appleton's vertical mix, geography, and integrated offering.
• Zimmerman Advertising: Florida-headquartered (Fort Lauderdale) full-service advertising agency with retail and franchise specialization, providing brand, media, digital, and creative services — comparable integrated service platform and Florida footprint.
• MMI Agency: Tampa-based full-service creative, digital, and media agency of similar size serving enterprise clients in healthcare, finance, and consumer — directly comparable on geography, service mix, and target verticals.
• 22squared: Atlanta/Tampa full-service advertising agency with strong media, creative, and digital capabilities serving national enterprise clients — broadly comparable integrated offering and Southeast US presence.
• Tucker/Hall: Tampa-based full-service communications, PR, and marketing firm serving Florida enterprise and government clients — comparable regional scale, integrated communications model, and enterprise/government vertical focus.
• Energy + Moxie: Florida-based full-service marketing and PR agency serving B2B and B2B clients across similar verticals — close peer on geography and integrated service offering.
• Sensis Agency: Orlando-origin (now Los Angeles) cross-cultural full-service digital marketing, advertising, and research agency — comparable integrated offering with similar heritage serving enterprise and government clients.

Broad incumbents

• Barkley: Independently-owned full-service creative, media, and digital agency serving major regional and national brands — comparable integrated service model with broader employee and revenue scale than Appleton.
• The Martin Agency: Richmond, VA-based independent full-service agency (part of global network IPG) known for brand creative and integrated campaigns — relevant as a larger comparable independent agency with multi-vertical integrated capabilities.

Others

• Capstone Technologies Solutions: Orlando-area digital solutions firm offering web development and digital marketing — adjacent rather than directly competitive but serves the same Florida SMB and enterprise market with overlapping service lines.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AppltnCre8ve

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Appleton Creative