Augustine Named Agency of the Year. The Work Behind the Recognition.
Augustine Agency was recently named 2026 Agency of the Year by the American Marketing Association Dallas-Fort Worth. The trophy is currently sitting in our office doing an excellent job of looking prestigious. Which is exactly what trophies are supposed to do. The more interesting question is what they’re supposed to represent.
The American Marketing Association has spent decades recognizing marketers and agencies whose work advances the profession. Its Agency of the Year award recognizes excellence across strategy, creativity, innovation and execution.
The truth is, awards come and go. So do marketing trends. One belief has managed to stick around: Effective marketing starts with understanding people.
Understanding People First
Over the past year, Augustine has partnered with organizations across tourism, food and beverage, consumer packaged goods, economic development and public sector industries. Some clients needed to build awareness. Others wanted to increase shopper engagement, launch new initiatives, modernize their digital presence or strengthen connections with evolving audiences.
And while the challenges looked different, the work always started in the same place.
Understanding the audience.
That’s the idea behind Augustine’s Move at the Speed of Insight philosophy. Better questions lead to better understanding. Better understanding leads to better decisions. And better decisions lead to stronger outcomes. As Augustine celebrates its 30th year, one thing remains remarkably consistent: brands that understand people tend to outperform those who don’t.
Over the past year, the channels and technologies have changed dramatically. The need for insight hasn’t. That approach helped shape work ranging from an AI-powered recipe tool for the National Mango Board to Avocados From Mexico’s Avowich campaign. It guided partnerships with organizations including Disney, Squishmallows, Blippi, Susan G. Komen and Arrow McLaren Racing, while also supporting local initiatives with groups such as Tarleton State University and the Metroplex Civic & Business Association.
This year also marked another milestone, earing Veteran-Owned and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned certification. Whie the certification is new, the commitment behind it isn’t.
Different clients. Different challenges. Different goals.
The common thread was turning insight into action.
Great Work Is Never a Solo Effort
“The award is exciting, but what makes it meaningful is the opportunity to help clients solve new challenges every day,” says Chief Operating Officer Kalie Whitsett.
We’re proud of the recognition but we’re even more energized by what’s next. While this award acknowledges the past, our culture fuels the future. The best ideas rarely come from one person. They come when talented people come together to solve a problem. When people enjoy collaborating, challenging each other and building on ideas, clients feel it and the work reflects it.
That’s what this recognition ultimately reflects.
Not a trophy sitting on a shelf. A collection of partnerships, projects and results built over time.
If there’s a challenge your brand is trying to solve, we’d love to hear about it.
The best projects usually start the same way: “We’re trying to figure something out.”
We love those conversations. Let’s start one.
