Crossmark, Inc., stylized as CROSSMARK, is a sales and marketing services company that operates within the consumer goods industry.[2][3][4] The company was established in 1905 by Willis Johnson and E. Leslie Hunt in Fort Smith, Arkansas as a provision supply point for groups traveling to the Oklahoma Territory.[2][5][6] Crossmark contributes research and data to the Food Marketing Institute.[7] The company serves grocery, mass, club, drug, convenience store, and home improvement channels.[8]
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| Industry | Consumer goods |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1905, in Fort Smith, Arkansas |
| Founder |
|
| Headquarters | |
Area served | North America, Australia |
Key people |
|
| Services | Sales and marketing |
| Revenue | $1b |
| Owner |
|
Number of employees | 40,000 |
| Website | www |
History
editThe company was founded in 1906 as Johnson and Hunt Merchandise Brokers in Fort Smith, Arkansas.[9] In 1914, the company was renamed as Willis Johnson & Company and operations moved to Little Rock, Arkansas.[citation needed]
In 1943, President Roosevelt named Willis Johnson Sr. to the National Office of Price and Administration, a two-year assignment.[citation needed]
In 1944, the W.L. Gordon Company formed in Dallas, Texas. In 1953 the Phillips Brokerage Company was created in Birmingham, Alabama.[citation needed]
In 1977, the Willis Johnson Company called on Sam Walton. In 1981, Willis Johnson Company changes its name to SalesMark.[citation needed]
In 1995, the three companies and alpha one merges.[citation needed]
In 1997, Crossmark was one of three companies that collectively controlled 75 percent of the sales and marketing services industry.[5] In 2012, The Dallas Morning News reported that the Plano, Texas-based Crossmark had 34,000 employees and an estimated annual revenue of $1 billion.[10][2][5] In December 2012, a majority of the company was sold to the private equity firm Warburg Pincus.[11][12]
In October 2013, Mike Graen joined CROSSMARK as Vice President/Managing Director for CROSSMARK's Center for Collaboration in Bentonville, Arkansas, which opened in July 2014.[13][14]
In May 2024, Acosta Group agreed to acquire Crossmark from WIS International. The transaction was finalized two months later.[15]
Sales and acquisitions
editCrossmark's services include headquarter sales, retail merchandising, in-store data collection, event marketing, retail technology, and retail analytics.[16]
On August 6, 2013, Crossmark agreed to buy Marketing Werks. The Marketing Werks deal will contribute to its total annual revenue of nearly $1 billion.[10][17] Based in Chicago, Marketing Werks provides experiential marketing campaigns for companies in several consumer industries.
In November 2013, Crossmark acquired the assets of PromoWorks.[18]
Recognition
editIn 2010[19] and 2011,[20] InformationWeek ranked Crossmark on its list of most-innovative users of business technology.
References
edit- ^ "CROSSMARK Leadership Team | CROSSMARK". Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Crossmark Named a Top Technology Innovator". CSPNet. September 27, 2011. Archived from the original on June 20, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
- ^ "CROSSMARK, MARS Advg. Launch Shopper Marketing Venture". Progressive Grocer. December 12, 2011. Archived from the original on June 3, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
- ^ "Crossmark to Acquire NCiM". Progressive Grocer. December 1, 2011. Archived from the original on June 3, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Crossmark quietly makes its mark for big-name brands" (PDF). Dallas Morning News. August 26, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 23, 2015. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
- ^ "Crossmark History". Crossmark. Archived from the original on January 11, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
- ^ "Retailers Face a Customer-Centric Universe: FMI". Supermarket News. April 30, 2013. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
- ^ "Bloomberg Businessweek Company Profile". Bloomberg Businessweek. Archived from the original on September 5, 2009. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
- ^ "CROSSMARK 100-Year Anniversary Video". CROSSMARK. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2011.
- ^ a b "Plano-based Crossmark to buy Chicago consumer marketing firm". Archived from the original on August 25, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
- ^ Halkias, Maria. "Plano-based Crossmark sold to private equity firm Warburg Pincus". Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on February 12, 2013. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
- ^ "Investor Buys Majority Stake in Crossmark". Supermarket News. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
- ^ "Mike Graen to Lead CROSSMARK's Center for Collaboration". Reuters. Archived from the original on October 10, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
- ^ "Top Walmart executive resigns to join Crossmark". Retail Dive. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
- ^ "Acosta Group Completes Acquisition of CROSSMARK and Product Connections". Acosta Group. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
- ^ "Crossmark Names New President of U.S. Sales Agency". February 8, 2012. Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
- ^ "Crossmark to Buy Marketing Werks". Retrieved August 6, 2013.
- ^ "Crossmark Acquires Shopper Engagement Firm PromoWorks". Archived from the original on October 15, 2014. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
- ^ "Crossmark Named to InformationWeek 500". InformationWeek. Archived from the original on June 28, 2013. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
- ^ "Crossmark Named a Top Technology Innovator". CSPnet.com. Archived from the original on June 20, 2013. Retrieved June 24, 2013.