Mars United Commerce

Mars United Commerce: Overview

Mars United Commerce is a global commerce marketing agency dedicated to driving growth through shoppers for brands and retailers. Founded in 1973 by Marilyn Barnett as The Mars Agency—the world's first shopper marketing agency—the company revolutionized commerce marketing and has evolved into a comprehensive commerce solutions provider now known as Mars United Commerce.

With over 50 years of global influence, Mars United Commerce has built a reputation as a leader in shopper conversion, retail intelligence, and groundbreaking technology. The agency operates as an independently-run commerce marketing practice that aligns people, technology, and intelligence to deliver what they call "Total Business Impact"—combining better decisions, connected experiences, and stronger results for their clients.

What sets Mars United Commerce apart is their proprietary technology platform, Marilyn® (named after founder Marilyn Barnett), described as the world's preeminent commerce marketing technology platform. This state-of-the-art technology drives business success through unprecedented data precision and actionable insights. The agency positions itself as conflict-free and committed wholly to client needs, working in harmony with existing partners and systems.

Mars United Commerce serves more than 100 of the world's top brands across multiple continents, with hundreds of commerce strategy, media, activation, and analytics experts positioned near the world's most prominent retailers and marketplaces. In September 2024, the company was acquired by Publicis Groupe to create what was positioned as the industry-leading connected commerce solution.

What Services Does Mars United Commerce Provide?

Mars United Commerce delivers comprehensive commerce marketing services organized into four core disciplines:

Strategy & Analytics

• Research & Insights
• Strategy Development
• Opportunity Sizing
• Data Analysis
• Business Strategy & Leadership
• Annual Strategy & Planning
• Client Leadership

Digital Commerce

• Media Strategy & Content
• Media Buying & Optimizing
• Media Measurement
• Contextual Commerce (Commerce Media)
• Sales & Operations Management
• Digital Shelf Management
• Full Service Amazon Team (eCommerce)

Retail Consultancy

• Omnichannel Planning (Customer Development)
• Joint Business Planning
• Retailer Intelligence
• Retailer Media Network Development & Optimization (Retailer CX)
• Shopper Experience
• Shopper Program Development & Management

Content & Experiences

• Concept Development (Creative)
• Experience Design
• Brand Activation
• Content Development
• Asset Execution (Production)

Technology Platform

• Marilyn® Commerce Marketing Technology Platform for data precision and actionable insights

What Industries Does Mars United Commerce Serve?

Mars United Commerce works across a diverse range of consumer-facing industries:

Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)

• Food & Beverage
• Snacks & Confectionery
• Dairy Products

Consumer Electronics & Technology

• Electronics
• Technology Products

Retail

• Grocery Retail
• Specialty Retail
• Convenience Stores

The agency has developed particular expertise in CPG and retail sectors, with deep knowledge of shopper behavior, retail partnerships, and commerce activation across both physical and digital channels.

What Brands Has Mars United Commerce Helped?

Mars United Commerce works with a prestigious roster of global brands across multiple categories:

Food & Beverage Brands

• Campbell's
• Conagra
• Mars Wrigley
• Pepperidge Farm
• Tillamook
• MilkPEP
• Bacardi Limited

Consumer Goods & Retail

• 7-Eleven
• Henkel
• Sprouts Farmers Market

Technology & Electronics

• Samsung
• Brooks

Retail Partners

• Walmart
• Tractor Supply Co.

Notable Campaign Highlights:

• Sip Dip Smile: Revitalized a classic meal pairing for modern times, driving incremental sales and category engagement
• Samsung Livestream for Walmart: Achieved a 26% sales increase with a single livestream activation
• Milk: The Original Sports Drink (MilkPEP): Used original technology to drive the original sports drink positioning, moving 1 million incremental units for the "all" brand partnership

Mars United Commerce serves more than 100 of the world's top brands, working with trusted and respected companies to turn every brand experience into a commerce opportunity.

Key Differentiators

• Marilyn® Technology Platform: Proprietary, state-of-the-art commerce marketing technology that delivers unprecedented data precision and actionable insights
• 50+ Years of Innovation: Founded in 1973 as the world's first shopper marketing agency, with a proven track record of revolutionizing commerce
• Total Business Impact Philosophy: Focus on better decisions, connected experiences, and stronger results that improve both ROI/ROAS and relationships
• Global Presence with Local Expertise: 800+ employees across 14 global hubs positioned near major retailers and marketplaces
• Conflict-Free Partnership Model: Works in harmony with clients' existing partners and systems without competing interests
• Full-Service Commerce Ecosystem: Integrated capabilities spanning strategy, analytics, content, retail consultancy, and digital commerce under one unified approach
• Retailer CX Excellence: Specialized solutions designed to help retailers elevate customer experience and maximize potential

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