Crossmark
{{short description|American marketing company}}
{{distinguish|X mark|CrossMark}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Crossmark
| logo =
| founder = {{unbulleted list|Willis Johnson|E. Leslie Hunt}}
| defunct =
| area_served = North America, Australia
| key_people = {{unbulleted list|Chris Moye {{smaller|(CEO)}}|Rudy Gonzalez {{smaller|(CFO)}}}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.crossmark.com/about/leadership |title=CROSSMARK Leadership Team | CROSSMARK |access-date=January 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117191039/http://www.crossmark.com/about/leadership |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |url-status=dead }}
| industry = Consumer goods
| services = Sales and marketing
| revenue = $1b
| owner = {{ubl|Acosta Group|{{smaller|(2024–present)}}}}
| num_employees = 40,000
| homepage = {{URL|www.crossmark.com}}
| foundation = {{start date and age|1905}}, in Fort Smith, Arkansas
| location_city = Plano, Texas
}}
Crossmark, Inc., stylized as CROSSMARK, is a sales and marketing services company that operates within the consumer goods industry.{{cite web|url=http://www.cspnet.com/news/technology/articles/CROSSMARK-named-top-technology-innovator|title=Crossmark Named a Top Technology Innovator|date=September 27, 2011|publisher=CSPNet|accessdate=January 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620060724/http://www.cspnet.com/news/technology/articles/CROSSMARK-named-top-technology-innovator|archive-date=June 20, 2013|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.progressivegrocer.com/top-stories/headlines/industry-intelligence/id34375/crossmark-mars-advg-launch-shopper-marketing-venture/|title=CROSSMARK, MARS Advg. Launch Shopper Marketing Venture|date=December 12, 2011|publisher=Progressive Grocer|accessdate=January 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603084342/http://www.progressivegrocer.com/top-stories/headlines/industry-intelligence/id34375/crossmark-mars-advg-launch-shopper-marketing-venture/|archive-date=June 3, 2013|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.progressivegrocer.com/top-stories/headlines/industry-intelligence/id34312/crossmark-to-acquire-ncim/|title=Crossmark to Acquire NCiM|date=December 1, 2011|publisher=Progressive Grocer|accessdate=January 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603084757/http://www.progressivegrocer.com/top-stories/headlines/industry-intelligence/id34312/crossmark-to-acquire-ncim/|archive-date=June 3, 2013|url-status=dead}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.drugstorenews.com/sites/drugstorenews.com/files/CROSSMARK%20DMN%208%2026%2012.pdf|title=Crossmark quietly makes its mark for big-name brands|date=August 26, 2012|publisher=Dallas Morning News|accessdate=January 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923220948/http://www.drugstorenews.com/sites/drugstorenews.com/files/CROSSMARK%20DMN%208%2026%2012.pdf|archive-date=September 23, 2015|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.crossmark.com/about/history|title=Crossmark History|publisher=Crossmark|access-date=January 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130111064718/http://www.crossmark.com/about/history|archive-date=January 11, 2013|url-status=dead}} Crossmark contributes research and data to the Food Marketing Institute.{{cite web|url=http://supermarketnews.com/2013-fmi-future-connect/retailers-face-customer-centric-universe-fmi|title=Retailers Face a Customer-Centric Universe: FMI|date=April 30, 2013|publisher=Supermarket News|accessdate=May 9, 2013}} The company serves grocery, mass, club, drug, convenience store, and home improvement channels.{{cite web|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=2230652|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090905065601/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=2230652|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 5, 2009|title=Bloomberg Businessweek Company Profile|publisher=Bloomberg Businessweek|accessdate=June 24, 2013}}
History
The company was founded in 1906 as Johnson and Hunt Merchandise Brokers in Fort Smith, Arkansas.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yoIqx8gCXY |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/_yoIqx8gCXY |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|title=CROSSMARK 100-Year Anniversary Video|publisher=CROSSMARK|accessdate=August 25, 2011}}{{cbignore}} In 1914, the company was renamed as Willis Johnson & Company and operations moved to Little Rock, Arkansas.{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}
In 1943, President Roosevelt named Willis Johnson Sr. to the National Office of Price and Administration, a two-year assignment.{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}
In 1944, the W.L. Gordon Company formed in Dallas, Texas. In 1953 the Phillips Brokerage Company was created in Birmingham, Alabama.{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}
In 1977, the Willis Johnson Company called on Sam Walton. In 1981, Willis Johnson Company changes its name to SalesMark.{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}
In 1995, the three companies and alpha one merges.{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}
In 1997, Crossmark was one of three companies that collectively controlled 75 percent of the sales and marketing services industry. 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.{{cite web|title=Plano-based Crossmark to buy Chicago consumer marketing firm|url=http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/2013/08/plano-based-crossmark-to-buy-chicago-consumer-marketing-firm.html/|accessdate=August 6, 2013|archive-date=August 25, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130825013600/http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/2013/08/plano-based-crossmark-to-buy-chicago-consumer-marketing-firm.html/|url-status=dead}} In December 2012, a majority of the company was sold to the private equity firm Warburg Pincus.{{cite web|last=Halkias|first=Maria|title=Plano-based Crossmark sold to private equity firm Warburg Pincus|url=http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/2012/12/plano-based-crossmark-sold-to-private-equity-firm-warburg-pincus.html/|publisher=Dallas Morning News|accessdate=24 January 2013|archive-date=February 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130212185748/http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/2012/12/plano-based-crossmark-sold-to-private-equity-firm-warburg-pincus.html/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Investor Buys Majority Stake in Crossmark|url=http://supermarketnews.com/retail-amp-financial/investor-buys-majority-stake-crossmark|publisher=Supermarket News|accessdate=24 January 2013}}
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.{{cite web |title=Mike Graen to Lead CROSSMARK's Center for Collaboration |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/07/ar-crossmark-idUSnBw076907a+100+BSW20131107 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010090414/http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/07/ar-crossmark-idUSnBw076907a+100+BSW20131107 |archive-date=October 10, 2014 |accessdate=November 7, 2013 |publisher=Reuters}}{{Cite web |title=Top Walmart executive resigns to join Crossmark |url=https://www.retaildive.com/news/top-walmart-executive-resigns-to-join-crossmark/186902/ |access-date=2024-03-25 |website=Retail Dive |language=en-US}}
In May 2024, Acosta Group agreed to acquire Crossmark from WIS International. The transaction was finalized two months later.{{Cite web|url=https://www.acosta.group/acosta-group-completes-acquisition-of-crossmark-and-product-connections/|title=Acosta Group Completes Acquisition of CROSSMARK and Product Connections|work=Acosta Group|access-date=2024-10-25|language=en}}
Sales and acquisitions
Crossmark's services include headquarter sales, retail merchandising, in-store data collection, event marketing, retail technology, and retail analytics.{{cite web|title=Crossmark Names New President of U.S. Sales Agency|url=http://www.progressivegrocer.com/top-stories/headlines/industry-intelligence/id34745/crossmark-names-new-president-of-u-s-sales-agency/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313165007/http://www.progressivegrocer.com/top-stories/headlines/industry-intelligence/id34745/crossmark-names-new-president-of-u-s-sales-agency/|archive-date=March 13, 2012|date=February 8, 2012|accessdate=May 20, 2013|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}
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.{{cite web|title=Crossmark to Buy Marketing Werks|url=http://supermarketnews.com/retail-amp-financial/crossmark-buy-marketing-werks|accessdate=August 6, 2013}} Based in Chicago, Marketing Werks provides experiential marketing campaigns for companies in several consumer industries.
In November 2013, Crossmark acquired the assets of PromoWorks.{{cite web |title=Crossmark Acquires Shopper Engagement Firm PromoWorks |url=http://www.cspnet.com/category-news/general-merchandise/articles/crossmark-acquires-shopper-engagement-firm-promoworks |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015031809/http://www.cspnet.com/category-news/general-merchandise/articles/crossmark-acquires-shopper-engagement-firm-promoworks |archive-date=October 15, 2014 |accessdate=November 3, 2013}}
Recognition
In 2010{{cite web|url=http://www.cspnet.com/news/technology/articles/crossmark-named-informationweek-500|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130628231936/http://www.cspnet.com/news/technology/articles/crossmark-named-informationweek-500|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 28, 2013|title=Crossmark Named to InformationWeek 500|publisher=InformationWeek|accessdate=May 9, 2013}} and 2011,{{cite web|url=http://www.cspnet.com/news/technology/articles/crossmark-named-top-technology-innovator|title=Crossmark Named a Top Technology Innovator|publisher=CSPnet.com|accessdate=June 24, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620060724/http://www.cspnet.com/news/technology/articles/CROSSMARK-named-top-technology-innovator|archive-date=June 20, 2013|url-status=dead}} InformationWeek ranked Crossmark on its list of most-innovative users of business technology.
References
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Category:Business services companies established in 1905
Category:Marketing companies established in 1905
Category:Marketing companies of the United States
Category:Business services companies of the United States
Category:Companies based in Plano, Texas