The Martin Agency continued its fourth-quarter new business hot streak, acquiring the account of Sandbox.com, an online sports and financial games Web site.
The Richmond, Va., agency topped Grey Ad-vertising in New York for the $15-20 million account.
When the review launched in October, Sandbox of Reston, Va., said it was seeking a New York or Washington, D.C., shop with strong brand-building experience. But Bill Carey, executive vice president and chief operating officer at the Internet specialist, said chemistry and attention to detail proved to be more important than location.
“[Martin] really understood our story and where we’re heading with things,” Carey said. “We just clicked. We talked with some of the biggest agencies in New York, but the combination of Martin’s size and the amount of attention we felt we were going to get from them made the difference.”
Carey also said one specific television spot the agency crafted for Geico, featuring a laughing dog, “just really stood out for me [as] some great marketing.”
Martin’s first work will appear in late first-quarter 2000. The agency’s responsibilities will include print, interactive, direct marketing, television and radio, as well as media planning and buying. The shop has won three dot.com accounts, totaling $33-45 million, since October.
Sandbox.com, with more than 2.4 million subscribers, maintains strategic relationships with Fox and USA Today. Media Metrix recently ranked the venue fourth among Web sites in terms of user loyalty.
Martin Wins Gamer
