Dallas-based brand strategy and creative advertising agency The Uptown Agency has acquired Dallas-based RBA, an award-winning creative advertising agency recently named AdAge’s No. 3 Best Place to Work in the United States and included in the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America.
“Bringing RBA into The Uptown Agency family is a clear win as clients demand more intelligent, data-driven media and results in our space,” said Joseph Alexander, CEO of The Uptown Agency.
The CEO added that RBA’s media and creative capabilities are highly innovative, and its team’s ability to scale quickly and efficiently across many different verticals makes it “instantly prepared to be leveraged across our client base.”
The Uptown Agency will absorb RBA’s team and client portfolio to accelerate its investment in award-winning creative advertising work. The strategic acquisition marks a significant milestone in The Uptown Agency’s journey toward becoming a powerhouse.
“I’m elated to start working with Ross and the entire RBA team and honored to preserve the legacy of RBA as we honor the vision of late co-founder Kace Phillips. We’re excited about the future and the many creative opportunities we’ll unlock for our client partners,” Alexander added.
Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Becoming a powerhouse in Dallas
RBA, founded by W. Ross Cromartie and Phillips in 2016, is a full-service creative advertising agency that has produced award-winning work for hundreds of brands, including Golden Chick, Transwestern, Dickey’s Barbeque Pit, JLL, Cotton Patch Cafe, CBRE, Harwood International, Legends, Swiss American, Grayson Whiskey, Rhoback, Purdue University, and more.
Ross Cromartie, CEO of RBA, said the agency’s unique approach to media planning and buying, combined with a talented creative team, has driven “explosive growth” for clients over the last decade. He called the acquisition a “game-changer” for RBA.
Cromartie added: “We get to retain our client-obsessed culture and stay hyper-focused on creating Work That Wins, all while benefiting from The Uptown Agency’s depth of experience in branding, marketing, marketing technology, and creating digital brand experiences for consumers — resulting in accelerated growth for all.”
Since Nelligan became CEO in 2021, Fremont, California-based Direct Line Global has experienced significant growth. The company now employs more than 1,000 people, with major operations in northern Virginia and additional locations in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, and South Korea.
The Uptown Agency’s full-service team reverse engineers business outcomes and connects strategy, design, content, data, and digital experiences to unleash powerful brand performance for every client they serve. Its clients include Alto, The University of Texas at Arlington, The Genius Brand, Colliers International, Birdie Bean, Ricoma International, and Toyota Music Factory.
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