CarMax shifts ad work from Martin Agency to L.A.-based firm

The CarMax store at 11090 W. Broad St. is one of two stores it has in the Richmond region. (BizSense file photo)

After six years of using Richmond-based Martin Agency for its advertising, Goochland-based CarMax is taking its creative work out of town.

Los Angeles-based 72andSunny announced Wednesday it is the used-car giant’s new creative agency “of record.”

The change follows an announcement in December that CarMax had begun a media and creative agency review in the U.S. and hired consulting firm R3 to manage that process. The retailer has regularly changed agencies over the years. It used North Carolina-based McKinney for five years before switching to Martin in 2019.

“We went to agency review as part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining excellence in our advertising and media programs and continuing to advance CarMax’s culturally relevant brand,” a CarMax spokesperson said Wednesday. 

CarMax declined to comment further on the change in creative agencies for the company.

Martin Agency’s work for CarMax included campaigns like “Usainly Fast Car Offers” featuring famed runner Usain Bolt and, more recently, a Beetlejuice-themed 90-second TV spot timed to the release of the “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” movie last fall. 

“We’re truly thankful for the opportunity to collaborate with our partners at CarMax over the past six years,” Martin Agency CEO Danny Robinson said in a statement Wednesday. “It’s been a meaningful journey — one that’s helped shape the brand’s identity and explore new, culturally relevant spaces together. From memorable moments in sports and entertainment to thoughtful ways of joining the cultural conversation, this partnership has been both collaborative and creatively rewarding. We’re grateful for this chapter and will continue cheering CarMax on from Richmond.”

The Martin Agency did not respond to requests for further comment by press time. 

“We are proud of the incredible work produced in partnership with The Martin Agency over the last six years and cherish the wonderful relationships we’ve built with their team. We remain among their biggest fans and will be cheering on their continued success,” CarMax chief marketing officer Sarah Lane stated in a release.

72andSunny’s Los Angeles office is leading the account, overseen by managing director Emily Connelly, with creative work led by executive creative director Lauren Smith. Smith has done work for 72andSunny with brands including Barbie, United Airlines and Venmo. 

72andSunny also has offices in Brooklyn, New York; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Sydney, Australia.

“We believe this partnership will bring fresh energy and creativity to our brand, and I can’t wait to see what we will accomplish together,” Lane further said in a release. 

72andSunny’s debut work for CarMax will be released sometime this summer. 

CarMax headquarters is at 12800 Tuckahoe Creek Parkway in the Goochland West Creek area. The used-car retailer has more than 250 locations nationwide, including Richmond-area locations at 901 Murray Olds Drive in Midlothian and 11090 W. Broad St. in Henrico. CarMax opened its first location in Richmond in 1993.

The Martin Agency headquarters is at 1 Shockoe Plaza in downtown Richmond. It has worked with brands such as Oreo, Papa Johns and GEICO. It recently completed a big round of renovations at its Shockoe Slip office.

The post CarMax shifts ad work from Martin Agency to L.A.-based firm appeared first on Richmond BizSense.