About GSD&M Advertising Agency

GSD&M was founded in 1971 by six college students, none of whom had ever worked in advertising before. That entrepreneurial spirit is still very much a part of the way the agency does business. Account teams are given wide responsibility to create ways to improve clients businesses. From humble beginnings, the agency has grown into a nationally acclaimed agency of 650 people, with 2,000 billings of $1.15 billion, representing some of the country's best-loved brands.

GSD&M's success has been based on the idea of growing as their clients grow. Southwest Airlines was a regional upstart when GSD&M teamed with them. They are now the fourth largest U.S. air carrier and the most consistently profitable airline in the history of aviation. Their ad recall among consumers ranks above all other airlines. Similarly, GSD&M started with Wal-Mart when they were a chain of 1,200, mostly in small towns. Today they are the world's largest retailer, with a market share that has grown 73 percent in 14 years of partnership.

The key to growing clients' businesses is their ability to totally immerse themselves in the brands—to understand those brands on many levels and to be able to translate even the deepest values of the clients in ways that are powerful, relevant, and meaningful to consumers. Their goal is not to create ads, but to be a visionary idea company that helps take their partners further than they thought they could go, faster than they thought possible.

To learn more about the GSD&M, visit www.gsdm.com