The Lacek Group
- Open roles
- 0
- Founded
- 1993
- Employees
- 201-500
- Offices
- 1
About The Lacek Group
The Lacek Group is a loyalty, customer relationship management and customer experience agency based in Minneapolis. It combines strategy, creative development, data intelligence and technology to help brands develop customer relationships throughout the customer lifecycle. Its work spans membership programmes, personalised communications, digital experiences and the measurement of customer value.
Founded in 1993 by Mark Lacek, the agency began by developing engagement and loyalty initiatives for travel brands. OgilvyOne Worldwide acquired the business in August 2000. It continues to operate as a specialised agency within the Ogilvy and WPP network, having expanded from its direct-mail roots into broader CRM, digital experience and marketing technology work.
From programme design to ongoing engagement
The agency develops loyalty and membership programmes through consumer research, business case modelling, currency and tier structures, partnership integration and implementation. Its involvement also extends to change management and ongoing programme optimisation. Engagement marketing services cover lifecycle strategy, email, direct mail, lead nurturing, cross-channel campaign deployment and marketing automation.
Experience design brings together customer journey mapping, interface design, web and mobile application development, and activation across customer touchpoints. Creative teams contribute campaign concepts, storytelling, content and copywriting, connecting programme strategy with the communications that members receive.
Data-informed customer relationships
The Lacek Group uses its Brand Devotion framework to focus on emotional attachment as well as transactional rewards. Its analytical capabilities include predictive modelling, customer lifetime value optimisation, attribution, behavioural segmentation and experimentation. Personalisation work connects tailored messaging and dynamic creative with enterprise customer data and CRM platforms, while dashboards support performance measurement and ongoing decisions.
Its portfolio includes loyalty and customer engagement work for The Home Depot’s Pro Xtra, Marriott Bonvoy, Dunkin’ Rewards, FordPass Rewards, Lincoln Access Rewards and United MileagePlus. The agency serves travel, hospitality, financial services, retail, restaurants, automotive, telecommunications and other markets where sustained customer relationships are central to the business.
More about The Lacek Group
Leadership
- Randy Gunderson became Chief Executive Officer on May 28, 2025, succeeding Bill Baker after serving as Senior Vice President of Account Services. Baker, CEO from 2000 to 2025, transitioned to Chairman.
- Michelle Wildenauer is Executive Vice President, Client Services and Strategy.
- Amy Van Ert became Group Executive Creative Director on August 3, 2026. A 20-year agency veteran, she succeeded retiring Chief Creative Officer John Jarvis, whose tenure lasted 17 years.
Technology and operating model
- The agency identifies CODA as its proprietary AI customer intelligence framework and reports delivering billions of personalised omnichannel messages annually.
- Its workforce is distributed across several US markets, with physical operations and studio culture centred in Minneapolis.
Community initiatives
The agency established an annual BIPOC marketing scholarship fund in 2021 and participates in local diversity and community programmes.
Notable credits
11 creditsOffices
Current and former locations of The Lacek Group
- Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Minneapolis offices
HeadquartersAbout this office
**Office** Status: active Headquarters Address: 700 Nicollet Mall, Suite 610, Minneapolis, MN 55402, United States Phone: +1 612-359-3700 Opened: 2023 Global headquarters in The Dayton’s Project, housing executive management, account teams, creative direction, data science and technology development. The agency relocated here in late 2023. --- **Office** Status: inactive / historical Address: 900 Second Avenue South, Suite 1800 Closed: 2023 Former headquarters premises, vacated when the agency relocated to The Dayton’s Project in late 2023.
- Singapore
Singapore office
Former officeHistorical satellite servicing unit present at the August 2000 acquisition; subsequently integrated into Ogilvy’s global office network.
- Seoul, South Korea
Seoul, South Korea
Former officeHistorical satellite servicing unit present at the August 2000 acquisition; subsequently integrated into Ogilvy’s global office network.
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