Martino Flynn agency is now simply Flynn

Kevin Oklobzija//June 17, 2019//

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Adapting to trends and providing innovative services are critical for any advertising and communications agency, but when it comes to its own name, Martino Flynn is going back to the future.

The Pittsford-based firm is now simply Flynn.

The rebranding campaign, which launched today, is part of a push to emphasize the shift in strategic approaches for clients.

“We’ve watched the marketplace very closely over the past four years and could see that the traditional agency partner model was not working,” Chris Flynn, partner in the firm, said in a news release. “We needed to be a different kind of company. We’ve been steadily building our expertise in-house to become a strategic and creative marketing consulting shop whose ideology is based in data.

“Moving us up the consultancy ladder was a big investment, and it’s really paid off for our clients. They’re getting deep insight and measurable results, and we’re doing it in a way their other partners can’t.”

Jerry Flynn established the Flynn Agency in 1967. Sons Chris and Kevin bought out their father in the mid-1980s, then merged with public relations partner Ray Martino. Martino retired in 2017 and then Katie Flynn, daughter of Chris, joined the agency to create a third-generation company.

Now at 50 employees, Flynn’s ability to both recognize and accommodate client needs has enabled the agency to maintain its place in the field for more than 50 years.

“Our clients are often swimming in data, but they’re struggling to put it to work,” Sarah Weaver, chief strategy officer, said in a news release. “Part of the challenge is that marketing programs are rolled out across so many channels, but the data comes back in parts. To get insights we can actually use, we need to integrate it and analyze it as a whole, because that’s how consumers experience it — as a system.”

Flynn hired Pete VonDerLinn as chief creative officer, who has helped craft the agency’s Data and Daring repositioning and rebranding efforts. Formerly executive creative director at Partners + Napier, VonDerLinn’s goal is to help develop impactful campaigns for clients.

“We work as a tight, nimble team to produce great work, measure how it’s performing and optimize its effectiveness under one roof,” VonDerLinn said. “And that’s exactly what brands need to succeed at the speed of today’s marketplace.”

Flynn has a mix of local and national clients, from Canandaigua National Bank and Rochester Colonial to Dick’s Sporting Goods and John Hancock.

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