What Groundswell Experiential does

Groundswell Experiential is a Chicago-based, full-service experiential marketing agency founded in 2015 that designs and delivers brand experiences for mid-to-large enterprise clients. The firm positions itself as a single-vendor alternative to fragmented agency rosters, offering end-to-end capabilities across nine integrated practice areas: Experiential Strategy, Events, Field Marketing, Design, Content, Social Impact, Mobile Tours, Strategic Partnerships, and Hospitality. Engagement scope spans ideation through execution, with the agency serving as the lead creative and production partner for brand activations.

The company's technology profile is minimal: there is no proprietary platform, no AI/ML infrastructure disclosed, and digital presence consists of a Squarespace-hosted website and a contact email ([email protected]). Groundswell operates a related sub-brand called The Well (thewellintel.com), an intel and insights resource hub that complements its service portfolio. The firm holds no patents, has no disclosed awards, and has no investments or M&A activity on record.

The business model is professional services with project-based fees; revenue is generated through direct sales engagements with enterprise brands rather than product distribution or transactional channels. The stated customer segment is horizontal — mid-to-large enterprise brands seeking premium experiential marketing — and the go-to-market is enterprise field sales. With 11-50 employees, boutique scale, and no disclosed funding rounds, Groundswell appears to operate as a self-sustaining independent agency. Senior leadership includes Christopher D Curtis (Chairman of the Board) and Joe Lucchese (Executive Vice President), though broader management disclosure is limited.

Name

Groundswell Experiential

Legal name

Groundswell Experiential

Website

https://groundswell.buzz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Groundswell Experiential is a Chicago-based, full-service experiential marketing agency that designs and delivers brand experiences, events, and field marketing campaigns for mid-to-large enterprise brands from ideation through execution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Experiential Marketing Services: Project-based service fees for full-service experiential marketing including strategy, events, field marketing, design, content creation, social impact initiatives, mobile tours, strategic partnerships, and hospitality services. Revenue generated through client engagements from ideation through execution.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Groundswell Experiential is a full-service experiential marketing agency that designs and delivers brand experiences from ideation through execution. Its offerings span experiential strategy, events, field marketing, design, content creation, social impact programming, mobile tours, strategic partnerships, and hospitality services for enterprise brand clients.

Product overview

Groundswell Experiential is a full-service experiential marketing agency that operates as a unified service offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The company delivers end-to-end experiential experiences from ideation to execution, encompassing ten integrated service areas: Experiential Strategy, Events, Field Marketing, Design, Content, Social Impact, Mobile Tours, Strategic Partnerships, Hospitality, and The Well (a related intelligence resource hub). These services are offered as a cohesive portfolio rather than separate modular products, allowing clients to engage the agency for complete campaign development and delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Well: A branded offering related to insights/intelligence, as referenced on the company's website.

Products and services

• Experiential Strategy Strategic consulting services that help brands plan and conceptualize experiential marketing initiatives aligned with business objectives.
• Events End-to-end event planning and execution services for brand experiences, from concept development to on-site management.
• Field Marketing On-the-ground marketing activities that bring brand experiences directly to target audiences in various locations.
• Design Creative design services for experiential installations, displays, environments, and visual identity systems.
• Content Content creation services including messaging, storytelling, and multimedia assets for experiential campaigns.
• Social Impact Programs and initiatives that integrate social responsibility and community engagement into brand experiences.
• Mobile Tours Mobile touring experiences that bring branded activations to multiple locations, enabling widespread audience reach.
• Strategic Partnerships Development and management of brand partnerships and sponsorship opportunities for experiential initiatives.
• Hospitality Premium hospitality services for VIP experiences, including guest management and elevated attendee experiences.
• The Well An intelligence platform/resource hub providing insights and intel related to experiential marketing and events.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The WellminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Well (thewellintel.com) is referenced as a linked resource, suggesting a content or intelligence partnership. The site appears to be an intel platform related to experiential marketing insights that complements Groundswell's service offerings.

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• MKG: Boutique experiential marketing and brand experience agency serving enterprise clients end-to-end. Closest peer in size, positioning, and full-service value proposition.
• Jack Morton: Global brand experience agency offering strategy, creative, production, and event execution for enterprise brands. Directly competes with Groundswell in the full-service experiential category at larger scale.
• MAS Event Design: Experiential agency producing brand activations, corporate events, and environments for enterprise clients. Comparable offering across events, design, and production services.
• Momentum Worldwide: Global experiential agency spanning brand experience, design, content, and partnerships. Overlaps directly with Groundswell's integrated service portfolio across strategy, events, and design.
• Sparks: Experiential marketing agency offering event production, brand activations, and mobile tours. Directly comparable to Groundswell's mobile tour and field marketing capabilities.
• AgencyEA: Chicago-based experiential agency delivering events, experiences, and creative services. Local-market competitor with overlapping services and a similar scale profile.
• George P. Johnson Experience Marketing: Long-standing experiential marketing agency focused on large-scale brand experiences and events for global enterprises. Comparable to Groundswell's enterprise field-marketing and mobile-tour offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Freeman: Global event and brand experience company providing strategy, design, logistics, and production. Adjacent incumbent that competes for large enterprise experiential accounts.
• Live Nation: Large-scale live event and entertainment company with significant brand-experience capabilities. Provides indirect competition for scaled enterprise event work though far broader in scope.

Emerging players

• Upstatement: Boutique creative and digital agency with brand-experience capabilities. Comparable in size and creative orientation, though more digital-leaning than Groundswell's event focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/groundswellexp
• Facebookfacebook.com/groundswellexp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Groundswell Experiential