Our history
More than 35 years of blending data, technology, and design to deliver high-impact marketing programs and industry-leading customer experiences.

Merkle was acquired in 1988 by entrepreneur David Williams. Considered a visionary by many, even he couldn’t have foreseen what technology would have in store for the business, which has evolved over 35+ years into one of the world’s premier customer experience management (CXM) companies.

While Merkle’s business model has changed through the years, one thing has remained constant: our dedication to providing our clients with world-class solutions for maximizing the value of their customer portfolios.

Since the days when one-to-one marketing was limited to direct mail, telemarketing, and email, we have always understood the value of data, analytics, and technology in informing marketing engagement. As the market evolved, Merkle has invested globally in the data, technology, and digital media capabilities that have kept us at the forefront of the performance marketing movement. In fact, we are the only agency that has been recognized by Forrester across every aspect of the customer lifecycle.

Growth and expansion have always been watchwords – not only for Merkle’s own business ambitions, but even more importantly in terms of our clients. We have reached our market-leading status through years of tenacious focus on organic growth, revered talent sourcing, and smart corporate acquisitions.

Merkle has earned a reputation as a valued partner to our clients by assembling an elite team of experts who share a passion for achieving greatness and partnering with an enviable bench of technology partners. In doing so, we have convened the most experienced multidisciplinary marketing experts in the country, who strive to achieve their best work in areas of strategic consulting, data & analytics, technology, digital media, experience activation, analytical services, and promotion & loyalty solutions.

We have welcomed more than three dozen acquired companies into the Merkle family over the past 35 years, from software and technology providers to data and analytics companies to experience and creative agencies. This melting pot of assets has consistently built upon Merkle’s core strengths to become what we are today: a customer experience company for the ages.