Our Story

As with most successful businesses, it all began with a simple revelation, an “A-ha!” moment.

Founder Sonny King saw an unmet need in the local sales agencies he encountered as an executive at Vons. He saw the opportunity for a strategically placed, trusted intermediary between manufacturers and retailers — one with the perspective to bring the outside in, an ability to connect the dots that others didn’t see and a relentless dissatisfaction with the status quo.

And so, Advantage was born.

More than three decades later, with nearly $4 billion in revenues and a platform that extends to more than 40 countries, that same vision drives every aspect of Advantage on behalf of more than 3,500 clients and our own business.

That’s why, when we saw the challenges our clients were experiencing using traditional advertising agencies for promotions, we launched what is now the market’s leading promotions agency, leveraging our deep understanding of manufacturer and retailer strategies to create stronger, more effective shopper-focused campaigns.

It’s why, when observing the uneven quality of in-store events, we created a transformative new approach that improved results for all and has become the No. 1 experiential and event marketing agency.

And why, seeing the exciting, but chaotic, development of omnichannel retailing, we built a digital technology division to bring our clients order and transparency and to identify and capture opportunities for them to grow their business.

It’s also why we continue to invest in technology, new services and talented people to ensure we remain at the forefront of the always-changing world of retail and consumer goods.

It’s an approach to business that’s enabled us to move into and add value in new industries, including foodservice, automotive, financial services and travel and leisure.

Never resting, always pushing innovation and creative collaboration, we strive to fulfill the vision of our founder by offering the most powerful, effective and cost-efficient solutions and services.

Through all the change of the last 35 years, our Advantage team remains certain in Sonny’s guiding principle:
Whatever the present circumstance, there is always a better solution.

Our Purpose