What Innovative Marketing Solutions does

Innovative Marketing Solutions is a privately held B2B retail display design and manufacturing agency headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois. Founded approximately in 1996, the company designs, engineers, prototypes, manufactures, and installs point-of-purchase displays and merchandising programs for consumer brands and large-format retailers across verticals including paints and coatings, automotive, marine/outdoor audio, eyewear, fashion, and beauty. Its core offering operates as a four-phase service — Explore (neuromarketing research, audits, surveys, focus groups), Innovate (fixture and environmental design, interactive capabilities, value engineering, brand identity, in-house rapid prototyping, precision color matching, graphic design, production artwork), Launch (manufacturing, logistics, brand activation, quality assurance, installation), and Support (client portal, spare-part ordering, real-time reporting, resolution tracking) — delivered under a single full-service engagement model.

The company's underlying technology centers on in-house rapid prototyping, precision color matching for brand color accuracy across displays, and a neuromarketing research practice that applies consumer psychology and neuroscience methods to inform display effectiveness. Notable production capabilities include the 32-foot Color Wall built for Sherwin-Williams at Lowe's and modular display engineering demonstrated through the Rockford Fosgate marine audio program, supported by offshore manufacturing partnerships in China and Mexico managed through a dedicated Director of Global and Domestic Operations.

The business model is professional-services, project-based, and quote-driven with multi-year contracts typical for enterprise retail programs. Distribution is sales-led through National Account Managers building direct relationships with brands and retailers, supplemented by participation in industry trade shows and an "Eye on the Industry" content-marketing blog. Notable enterprise customers include Sherwin-Williams, Lowe's, Harley-Davidson, Rockford Fosgate, Spy Optics/Bollé Brands, EcoXGear, Lacoste, and Ulta. The company has accumulated multiple industry awards including OMA statuettes, a 2025 Gold Global Award, a 2025 Sustainability Innovation Award from Shop! Marketplace, and a Creative Magazine Editor's Choice Award.

Name

Innovative Marketing Solutions

Legal name

Innovative Marketing Solutions

Website

https://innovativemarketing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Innovative Marketing Solutions is a privately held B2B retail display design and manufacturing agency in Schaumburg, Illinois, serving enterprise consumer brands and retailers with end-to-end services spanning neuromarketing research, prototyping, and global installation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Display Design & Manufacturing

NAICS

Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (54185), Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (541850), Graphic Design Services (541430), Graphic Design Services (54143)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Experiential Brand Design (Retail/Exhibit/Signage) (MPAAAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brand Activations & Experiential Campaign Design (MPAAAGAA), Creative Concepting & Campaign Development (BPAFAEAD)

Keywords

• Retail display design
• Point-of-purchase displays
• Store fixture manufacturing
• Brand activation services
• Retail merchandising programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Schaumburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Display Design and Manufacturing: Full-service design and production of point-of-purchase displays and merchandising programs for brands and retailers. Services span from concept through installation, including fixture design, interactive capabilities, manufacturing, logistics, quality assurance, and installation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Innovative Marketing Solutions is a retail display agency that designs and builds point-of-purchase displays and merchandising programs for consumer brands and retailers. The company provides full-service capabilities spanning neuromarketing research, fixture and environmental design, in-house rapid prototyping, precision color matching, manufacturing, logistics, installation, and post-launch support. Its offerings are delivered as custom B2B projects to enterprise clients across industries such as paints, automotive, marine audio, eyewear, and fashion.

Product overview

Innovative Marketing Solutions is an award-winning agency that designs and builds retail displays to increase customer interaction and drive sales. The company operates as a single unified service offering, combining creative design, prototyping, manufacturing, and installation services under one roof. Their core service encompasses the full retail display lifecycle, from research and design through production and ongoing support, including interactive capabilities and brand activations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retail Display Design & Manufacturing Services Full-service agency offering for designing and building retail displays, point-of-purchase displays, and merchandising programs for consumer brands and retailers. The service spans research, design, prototyping, manufacturing, logistics, installation, and post-launch support, with capabilities including neuromarketing, in-house rapid prototyping, precision color matching, interactive capabilities, and value engineering. Target customers are enterprise consumer brands and retailers across industries such as paints, automotive, marine audio, eyewear, and fashion.
• Store Audits

Quantifiable outcome

• Paint Advisor display helped drive record-high paint sales at Sherwin-Williams
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• TW Chicago (General Contractor)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 3 August 2021Partnership with TW Chicago as general contractor for the company's office redesign project 'Operation 20/20'
• Ware Malcomb (Architect)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 3 August 2021Architectural partnership for the 'Operation 20/20' office redesign project
• Jerry Hagen Promotion to Director of Global and Domestic OperationscoreOthers · 5 May 2021Internal leadership promotion recognizing 20+ years of service at Innovative. Jerry Hagen drives the expansion of global reach including offshore manufacturing in China and Mexico, contributing to successful deployment of displays across the globe.
• Spy Optics / Bollé BrandsStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Ongoing strategic partnership since January 2020 to develop retail displays for Spy Optics, Bollé, and Serengeti brands. Expanded challenges delivered for multiple brands under the Bollé umbrella.
• Moss Inc.minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2020Partner for production and installation of custom terra canvas mural for Creative Department wall

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• George P. Johnson Experience Marketing: Large-scale experiential and retail environment agency with broader marketing services scope, frequently competing for the same enterprise shop-in-shop and POP mandates.
• Landor & Fitch: Global branding consultancy with a retail and environment design practice, comparable on environmental branding and in-store execution for large multi-brand rollouts.
• CallisonRTKL: Architecture and retail design firm with a dedicated retail experience practice; competes for fixture and environmental design mandates and has stronger international architecture delivery capacity.
• Tracy-Locke (Part of Omnicom / The Marketing Arm): Brand activation and retail experience agency competing for the same shopper marketing and POP display RFPs, with deeper holding-company media and scale advantages.

Direct peers

• FRCH Design Worldwide: Retail and consumer experience design consultancy that delivers store planning, fixture design and brand activation programs comparable to IMS' Innovate and Launch phases.
• Momentum Worldwide: Global experiential and retail activation agency that designs and builds in-store brand experiences for enterprise clients; most direct overlap on fixture/environmental design and brand activation work.
• Marx Design: Independent brand experience and retail display design agency serving consumer brands with creative, prototyping and production capabilities similar to IMS' integrated offering.
• Jack Morton Worldwide: Experience brand agency with deep retail display and shop-in-shop practice, serving many of the same Fortune 500 brand marketers as IMS through brand activations and in-store experiences.
• DCI-Artform: Direct competitor providing retail display design, manufacturing and installation for major brands, with a similar integrated POP-to-installation model and global production footprint.
• Sparks: Retail and experiential marketing agency that designs, fabricates and installs retail displays and brand activations for enterprise clients across multiple consumer categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/innovative-marketing-solutions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Innovative Marketing Solutions