Valerie Davis spearheaded Stagwell's Assembly during consolidation, steering the organization towards expansion.
A whopping four-year transformation swept through Stagwell, metamorphosing its media landscape. Now, Assembly is the lone, separate media agency brand within the organization, following a period of consolidation and expansion.
When Valerie Davis took the helm as Assembly's North America CEO in 2021, she couldn't resist the opportunity. Fresh from the merger of Assembly with its sister agency, ForwardPMX, the agency had expanded its workforce. Davis aimed to revamp Assembly's culture, and that was the lure that drew her back to Stagwell after a stint at IPG Mediabrands. Since then, under her leadership, Assembly has flourished, securing some of its biggest account victories, such as Carter's, T. Rowe Price, Vera Bradley, and Brooks Running.
"Assembly began as a melting pot of smaller agencies coming together," Davis explained to ADWEEK.
Dive Deeper
Expanded Partnership with Brooks Running
In an effort to bolster Brooks Running's brand performance, Assembly was appointed as the running company's paid media agency of record (AOR) for North America. The agency is tasked with devising an innovative omnichannel strategy that prioritizes performance marketing. This global media partnership, which has evolved from regional engagements, makes Brooks a key account for Assembly alongside tech giant Lenovo and fashion brand Fossil.
Strategic Focus
Assembly's relationship with Brooks Running is characterized by a strong emphasis on omnichannel media innovation, aligning with Stagwell's broader investments in performance-driven marketing. The agency's recent high-level hires—including Greg Shickle (Europe Chief Activation Officer) and Matt Adams (Europe CEO)—highlight its commitment to global scalability and cross-market integration.
Agency Momentum
Though financial details remain undisclosed, Assembly's growth in Europe's media league tables—earning a spot among the continent's top 10—demonstrates its competitive edge. Simultaneously securing the Vera Bradley media AOR account underscores Assembly's diverse client portfolio and its continued trajectory of success.
Notable Victories
- Global media strategy for Brooks Running
- North America paid media AOR, focusing on performance marketing
- Vera Bradley omnichannel media innovation (as part of an overall growth spurt)
- Valerie Davis, the new North America CEO of Assembly, saw an opportunity after the merger of Assembly with ForwardPMX, aiming to revamp Assembly's culture and grow the agency, attracting big account victories like Carter's, T. Rowe Price, Vera Bradley, and Brooks Running.
- In a strategic move, Assembly was appointed as the paid media agency of record (AOR) for North America by Brooks Running, with the aim of bolstering the running company's brand performance through an innovative omnichannel strategy that prioritizes performance marketing.
- Assembly's relationship with tech giant Lenovo, fashion brand Fossil, and now Brooks Running is indicative of Stagwell's broader investments in performance-driven marketing, as shown by their recent high-level hires like Greg Shickle and Matt Adams.
- The evidence of Assembly's success is their growth in Europe's media league tables, earning a spot among the continent's top 10, and simultaneously securing the Vera Bradley media AOR account.
- Davis' entrepreneurial leadership has propelled Assembly forward, making strides in both the North American and global media arenas, demonstrating their competitive edge and commitment to growth in the business world.
