Collective Measures Announces the Next Generation of Leadership as the Agency Approaches Its 20-Year Anniversary
100% employee-owned media agency adopts co-leadership structure to fuel growth and reflect values
MINNEAPOLIS, MN (March 25, 2024) — Effective today, Collective Measures, an award-winning Minneapolis media agency, will adopt a new leadership structure and recognize longtime agency talent. Two Collective Measures veterans have been named as co-presidents of the agency: Allison McMenimen Bakken will take on the role of Co-President, Managing Director and Luke Schlegel will become Co-President, CFO/COO. The agency’s interim CEO, Rachael Marret, will return to serve on the Collective Measures board of directors after leading the agency since September 2022.
“Co-leadership is an ideal model for industries like ours that tend to experience rapid change. With the right two people, co-leadership can be very powerful,” said Rachael Marret, interim CEO of Collective Measures. “Allison and Luke have been working shoulder-to-shoulder for the past 13 years during the agency’s greatest period of growth. They have strong complementary skill sets and an established relationship based on respect, trust, and shared accountability.”
McMenimen Bakken started as an intern at Collective Measures and continued to advance into leadership roles within client services, ultimately becoming Managing Director, EVP. Schlegel began his time with Collective Measures as a client. After joining the agency, he held several roles across finance, analytics, and operations and eventually became the agency’s first CFO/COO.
“Our industry is complex and always evolving — there isn’t a ‘typical day’ or one-size-fits-all solution to the work we do for our clients,” said McMenimen Bakken. “Co-leading with Luke will allow the two of us to be more creative, strategic, and adaptable in our approach to problem solving and providing direction for our clients and employee-owners.”
Schlegel believes the company’s co-leadership model reflects the company’s values as a collective and 100% employee-owned business. “Our ownership model demonstrates our collective investment in the success of our employees, clients, and community, and a co-leadership model enables Allison and I to lead by demonstrating our commitment to each of these key audiences,” said Schlegel.
Client and employee growth
Significant new business wins have continued to propel company growth. Most recently, the agency was selected by VTech and LeapFrog as their media agency of record. In 2023, Collective Measures started supporting Thomson Reuters with their paid marketing efforts, specifically with their legal, tax & accounting, risk & fraud, and print business units. These wins add to the agency’s client portfolio, which includes EVEREVE, Room & Board, Andersen Windows & Doors, and Land O’Lakes, among others.
In 2023, the company saw double-digit increases in employee growth, which included the addition of two new vice presidents. Matt Larson, Vice President of Media and Connection Strategy, joined the agency from Haworth Marketing + Media, where he oversaw partnerships with brands including White Claw, Walmart, and DICK’s Sporting Goods, while Lindsay Early brings client-side experience from Best Buy and Optum to her role as Vice President of Client Services. To support its committed team of more than 100 employees, Collective Measures resigned their office lease in the Fifth Street Towers after 11 years in downtown Minneapolis. The Fifth Street Towers have housed the agency since its days as Nina Hale.
About Collective Measures
Founded in 2005, Collective Measures is a Minneapolis-based media agency that combines full-funnel connections strategy and advanced analytics. A 20-time “Best Place to Work” award recipient and 100% employee-owned, the agency is accountable and invested in ensuring the success of its clients, employees, and community. With origins rooted in search marketing and an expertise in understanding consumer intent, Collective Measures has evolved into a collective of media strategists, brand engagement experts, and data scientists who make the complexities of modern marketing simple and effective. To learn more about Collective Measures, visit www.collectivemeasures.com.
