Recreation

What Recreation does

Recreation (DBA Recreation Dallas) is a Dallas-based, full-service advertising agency co-founded by Sterling Hayman, a traditional advertising veteran, and Rob Howe, a digital-native content creator. The firm operates across four explicit service pillars: Digital Services (social and digital strategy, social media management, paid media, email marketing, web design, analytics and reporting); Content Creation (photography, video production, copywriting, influencer marketing); Traditional Advertising (TV, radio, out-of-home, direct mail, collateral, environmental graphics); and Branding (identity development, print, packaging, invitation and events, product design). The agency's stated differentiator is the deliberate integration of 'old-school' traditional advertising experience with 'new-school' digital-native capabilities, eliminating the need for clients to engage separate vendors across disciplines. Delivery occurs through bespoke creative projects rather than any productized platform.

The firm's client base skews to enterprise consumer-facing brands including 7-Eleven (national campaigns such as the Dak Prescott 'Time to Train' spot), American Airlines Cargo (Pet Embark program, 75th anniversary posters), Laredo Taco Company (TikTok launch), Homemade Brand Ice Cream (multiple multimedia campaigns including 'Made to Share' with documented above-benchmark video completion rates), Boston's Pizza (design refresh, LTO menus, coasters), United Dairy Farmers (summer multimedia), Brinks Home (direct-response TV), Pizza Hut (TikTok launch), and Dallas Wings Basketball (photography). This enterprise base is supplemented by regional SMB work (Nathan Majors attorney 'Rock N Roll Lawyer' persona, Clampitt Paper Co. holiday pop-up invitations) and select non-profit engagements (Clayton Dabney 'Love Luncheon'). Revenue is generated via professional-services fees on project, retainer, and performance-based structures typical of full-service agencies; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.

The agency runs an in-house production studio from its Dallas headquarters near Deep Ellum and actively markets itself through the Rec Room content hub, a podcast, an email newsletter, and presence on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. Client acquisition is sales-led through direct engagement, referrals, and industry reputation rather than a marketplace or productized channel. There is no disclosed external funding, institutional investor, parent company, M&A activity, patent portfolio, award list, or technology platform; Recreation appears to be a founder-owned, independently operated boutique agency of approximately 11–50 employees.

Name

Recreation

Legal name

Recreation Dallas

Website

https://recreationdallas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Recreation is a Dallas-based, full-service advertising agency delivering digital, content, traditional, and branding services to enterprise consumer brands—spanning retail, food and beverage, airline cargo, and home security—and to select SMB and non-profit clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Advertising and Marketing Services: Recreation generates revenue through fees for advertising and marketing services including creative development, branding, content production, social media strategy, and campaign execution. The agency operates on project-based, retainer, and potentially performance-based fee structures typical of full-service ad agencies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Recreation Dallas is a full-service advertising agency that designs and executes integrated marketing campaigns spanning digital strategy, paid media, social media management, content production (photography and video), traditional advertising (TV, radio, OOH, direct mail), and branding services (identity, print, packaging, events). The agency serves as an "agency of record" partner delivering bespoke creative work and campaigns for consumer brands and regional businesses.

Product overview

Recreation is a Dallas-based advertising and marketing agency that provides a comprehensive suite of creative services rather than a unified software product. The agency operates across four main service pillars: Digital Services (social strategy, paid media, email marketing, web design, analytics), Content Creation (photography, video production, copywriting, influencer marketing), Traditional Advertising (TV, radio, out of home, direct mail), and Branding (identity, print, packaging, product design). Rather than a modular software platform, Recreation delivers bespoke creative work and campaigns for its client roster.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Digital Services Digital services including social and digital strategy, social media management, paid media, email marketing, web design, and analytics & reporting for brands seeking integrated digital campaign support.
• Content Creation Services Content production services including photography, video production, copywriting, and influencer marketing for brands developing branded and campaign content.
• Traditional Advertising Services Traditional advertising services including TV, radio, out-of-home, direct mail, collateral, and environmental graphics for brands executing multi-channel campaigns.
• Branding Services Branding services including identity development, print design, packaging, invitation and events design, and product design for brands undergoing brand building or refresh initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• Homemade Brand 'Made to Share' campaign achieved 89% Facebook VCR (industry average 30%), 99% Connected TV VCR (industry average 89%), 91% online video VCR (industry average 80%)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 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

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GSD&M: Austin-based independent agency with deep Texas roots and a national brand roster (including longtime legacy F&B and retail accounts). Comparable on independent ownership, integrated service model, and regional-but-nationally-respected positioning.
• The Richards Group: Long-standing Dallas-based independent full-service advertising agency. Direct comparable on geography, size bracket, full-service model (digital, content, traditional, branding), and mid-sized enterprise client roster.
• The Martin Agency: Richmond, VA-based independent agency with deep national-brand credentials. Comparable on independent ownership, integrated creative model, and ability to win AOR work for major consumer brands at a regional cost base.
• Barkley: Kansas City-based independent agency with full-service capabilities and a strong record on consumer brands. Comparable on size tier, independence, and integrated creative/media/data offering.
• Preacher: Austin-based independent creative agency known for integrated brand work for consumer and lifestyle clients. Comparable in size bracket, independent ownership, and emphasis on creative-led cross-channel campaigns.
• Tombras: Knoxville-based independent full-service agency. Comparable on independent ownership, integrated digital-plus-traditional capabilities, and enterprise consumer-brand client base.

Broad incumbents

• Wieden+Kennedy: Iconic independent creative agency. Comparable on independent ownership and creative-led integrated model; the aspirational ceiling for independent shops like Recreation in terms of brand and global enterprise work.
• 72andSunny: Independent creative agency known for culturally resonant, multi-channel campaigns for major consumer brands. Comparable on independent ownership, integrated digital/traditional model, and enterprise brand focus; meaningfully larger scale.
• Anomaly: Independent creative agency with a non-traditional operating model. Comparable in independence and cross-disciplinary offering; significantly larger and more global, with deeper media and content capabilities.
• Mother: Globally recognized independent creative agency. Comparable on independent ownership and creative-first positioning; larger and more international in scope than Recreation, but represents the same independent-agency archetype Recreation aspires to.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCClrGk5mhZhPLl0DTMrzvVA
• Facebookfacebook.com/RecreationDallas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/recreation-dallas
• Instagraminstagram.com/recreationdallas
• TikToktiktok.com/@recreationdallas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Recreation