MARS Advertising, CROSSMARK create Twin Oaks

Services plan to address all phases of the shopper marketing discipline, including planning, concept development, retailer sell-in, execution, and measurement and evaluation.

Said MARS CEO Ken Barnett, "We have collaborated with CROSSMARK for many years. We are excited about leveraging our years of experience and knowledge in building this new entity with the team at CROSSMARK. Twins Oaks will dramatically enhance CROSSMARK's already powerful offering to its existing and new clients."

Steve Devore, appointed Twin oaks MD

According to CROSSMARK president Joe Crafton, "CROSSMARK has been actively involved in shopper marketing as early as the first GMA study in 2003. We have made significant investments in analytics, data collection, brand activation and shopper events. By creating Twin Oaks with MARS, the market leader in shopper marketing, we will be able to meet all of the shopper marketing needs of our retailer and supplier partners."

Crafton was recently appointed chairperson of the GMA Shopper Marketing Steering Committee.

Steve Devore, former VP/account leader at Saatchi & Saatchi X where he led account teams for Frito-Lay North America and Procter & Gamble, has been hired as MD of Twin Oaks.

For more information on Twin Oaks, go to www.thetwinoaks.com.