Planting seeds for a rich history rooted in the automotive industry
The seed for Strong Automotive (SAM) was first planted by Mike Strong in 1977. Mike founded a retail advertising agency, quickly realizing that he could produce highly effective ads for automotive dealers using TV and direct mail. Mike’s efforts grew the company to great heights, gaining a reputation with many manufacturers and dealer associations. Mike then took a step back from the company for a few years, turning it over to its employees to run and manage.
Then, in 2004 and armed with a pickup truck, laptop, and projector, John Paul Strong founded a new version of the company. In the early days, there were only eight employees and 12 dealers. John Paul was determined to grow the agency, spending weeks driving across the country meeting with dealers in person and earning their business. He began working his way into major auto groups, showing success in building relationships. Along the way, he grew the business to be a multifaceted offering of services, including digital marketing, direct mail, and email marketing. Today, John Paul remains at the helm of SAM, growing the agency to comprise 140+ employees, 400+ clients, and an ever-expanding list of services.