The Richards Group
TRG
TypePrivate
IndustryAdvertising, Marketing, Design, Interactive, Media Planning, Media Buying, Strategy, Naming, Sports & Entertainment Marketing
Founded1976
FounderStan Richards
Headquarters
Dallas, Texas
,
United States
Key people
Glenn Dady (Chief Executive Officer as of Jan. 1, 2020) Sue Batterton (Chief Creative Officer) Rob VanGorden (Chief Growth Officer)
Number of employees
300+
Websitetrg.agency

The Richards Group, now known as TRG, is an advertising agency in Dallas, Texas. Once the largest independent US agency, a racism scandal in 2020 decimated both its reputation and its client roster.[1][2] The agency now focuses on advertising for tribal casinos.[3]

In October 2020, following racist comments made by the agency's founder, Stan Richards, the company lost two of its longtime clients, Motel 6 (34 years) and Home Depot[4] (25 years); other clients also decided to leave the firm, including Keurig Dr Pepper,[5] the brewers of Shiner Bock beer[6] and grocery chain H-E-B.[7] Richards (who had recently delegated most day-to-day management of the firm to his senior creative directors as part of a previously announced succession plan[8]) resigned from the firm soon thereafter.[9][10]

Based in Dallas, Texas,[11] The Richards Group reported annual billings above $1 billion. Memorable work includes the Chick-fil-A Cows ("Eat Mor Chikin"),[12] and the Motel 6 campaign featuring Tom Bodett.

Former clients included Fruit of the Loom, The Home Depot, Sub-Zero/Wolf, and Zales. The agency handled advertising, public relations, and promotions for dozens of clients nationwide, in addition to sports/entertainment marketing for colleges and universities before the racism scandal.[13]

In 2014, a $10 million fundraising campaign was completed to rededicate the advertising and public relations department at the University of Texas at Austin, naming it the Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations. The university released a statement after Richards' 2020 comments and resignation from the firm condemning the incident.[14]

In 2022, the agency changed its name to TRG in an attempt to distance itself from the legacy of racism among its C-Suite leadership, though nearly all of the agency's leadership from 2020 were still employed there.[2] The agency was forced to relocate after Stan Richards and Scot Dykema, the manager of a partnership called SBR Holdings, which owned the building, sold it to a group of comercial real estate investors.[15]

History

Key Dates:[16]

1953: Stan Richards begins doing freelance design work in Dallas.[17]

1976: The company becomes a full-service advertising agency.[18]

1986: Motel 6 is signed as a client.[19]

2016:The Richards Group takes AOR (agency of record) for Blue Bell Creameries.[20]

2018: Dish Network selects The Richards Group as its new creative agency of record.[21]

2020: Richards Group fired by Motel 6 over racist remarks by agency founder.[22][23]

2020: Home Depot drops The Richards Group following the founder's racist remarks.[24][25]

2020: H-E-B severs ties amid reports of racist comments by its CEO.[26]

2020: Shiner Beer fired TRG over racism scandal. [27]

2020: Advance Auto Parts fired TRG over racism scandal. [28]

2020: Keurig Dr. Pepper fires TRG over racism scandal.

2020: The Salvation Army fires TRG over racism scandal. [29]

2020: Stan Richards resigns from The Richards Group.[10][30]

2020: Glenn Dady takes over as the CEO.[31]

2021: TRG hires Sue Batterton as the first-ever Chief Creative Officer.

2022: The Richards Group rebrands to TRG.[32]

2022: TRG relocates its headquarters from Uptown to The Stack, Hines’ office/retail project at 2700 Commerce in Deep Ellum.[33]

2022: TRG hires a new chief financial officer, Michelle Gardner, to oversee the firm’s accounting team.[34]

2023: TRG creates new spots for Dave’s Killer Bread, supporting 2nd chance for incarcerated employees.

References

  1. ↑ "Stan Richards's Unique Management Style". Inc. Magazine. 2011-11-01. Retrieved 2014-10-21.
  2. 1 2 Bonilla, Brian (January 13, 2022). "THE RICHARDS GROUP IS CHANGING ITS NAME TO TRG, DISTANCING ITSELF FROM FOUNDER STAN RICHARDS".
  3. ↑ "TRG's Creates New Choctaw Casinos & Resorts Spot 'Where the Players Play' | Stars Aikman, Pudge and Woodson – AdChat™ DFW". adchatdfw.com. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  4. ↑ "Home Depot breaks with Richards Group following founder's racist remarks". Ad Age. 2020-10-14. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  5. ↑ Smiley, Minda (October 15, 2020). "Keurig Dr Pepper and H-E-B Cut Ties With The Richards Group". Adweek. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  6. ↑ Santana, Steven (October 22, 2020). "Shiner Bock brewer fires Richards Group as fallout continues over racist remarks". Dallas Business Journal. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  7. ↑ Parton, Mitchell (October 16, 2020). "H-E-B cuts ties with advertising firm after founder's racist remarks". San Antonio Business Journal. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  8. ↑ Ayers, Rebecca (December 23, 2019). "The Richards Group founder shares succession plan". Dallas Business Journal. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  9. ↑ Hunter, Glenn (2020-10-16). "After Offensive Comments, Stan Richards Leaves His Dallas Ad Agency". Texas Monthly. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  10. 1 2 DiFurio, Dom (2020-10-15). "'I am firing myself': Stan Richards exits namesake Dallas advertising firm over 'too Black' remarks". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  11. ↑ "Company Overview of The Richards Group, Inc". Bloomberg. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  12. ↑ "Chick-Fil-A Cows Infiltrate Cyberspace". AllBusiness. 2002-07-31. Retrieved 2009-09-21.
  13. ↑ "Chick-fil-A cows, Motel 6's Tom Bodett lift Dallas' Stan Richards to ad hall of fame". Dallas News. 2017-05-04. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  14. ↑ "UT responds to Stan Richards' comments that ad idea was 'too Black' in recent meeting with Motel 6". KXAN Austin. 2020-10-16. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  15. ↑ "Richards Group's Uptown Dallas tower is sold". Dallas News. 2022-01-06. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  16. ↑ "The Richards Group, Inc". Funding Universe. 2006-08-04. Retrieved 2009-09-21.
  17. ↑ Dougherty, Philip H. (1981-04-27). "Advertising; Creativity Is a Force At Richards". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  18. ↑ "The Richards Group, Inc. | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  19. ↑ Center, Franchisee Resource. "We'll Leave the Light On For You: Motel 6's Advertising Success". Franchisee Resource Center. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  20. ↑ Oster, Erik. "Richards/Carlberg Wins AOR Duties for Blue Bell Creameries". Agency Spy. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  21. ↑ "Dish Network Taps Richards Group as New Creative Ad Agency". MultiChannel News. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  22. ↑ Gibson, Kate (2020-10-15). "Motel 6, Home Depot drop ad agency over "too Black" comment - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  23. ↑ "Motel 6 drops ad agency after founder said pitch was 'too Black'". The Independent. 2020-10-15. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  24. ↑ Hsu, Tiffany (2020-10-14). "Motel 6 and Home Depot Drop Ad Agency After Its Founder Calls Ad 'Too Black'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  25. ↑ Blakey • •, Katy (2020-10-14). "Motel 6, Home Depot Fire Dallas Ad Agency Over Founder's Racially Insensitive Remarks". NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  26. ↑ Dunphy, Mark (2020-10-16). "H-E-B cuts ties with ad firm after founder's racist remarks". Chron. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  27. ↑ Roth • •, Brian (2020-10-21). "Shiner Bock Brewery Fires Richards Group Over Remarks by Dallas Agency's Founder". NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  28. ↑ Hunter, Glenn (2020-10-16). "After Offensive Comments, Stan Richards Leaves His Dallas Ad Agency". Texas Monthly. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  29. ↑ Hunter, Glenn (2020-10-16). "After Offensive Comments, Stan Richards Leaves His Dallas Ad Agency". Texas Monthly. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  30. ↑ "Stan Richards steps down from namesake ad agency over 'too Black' remarks". The Seattle Times. 2020-10-15. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  31. ↑ "Richards Group founder Stan Richards names advertising agency's Glenn Dady his successor". Dallas News. 2019-12-13. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  32. ↑ "Richards Group public relations vets split from company, launch new firm Genuine Article". Dallas News. 2022-02-22. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  33. ↑ Bell, James (2022-12-28). "Have a Look at the Biggest Dallas-Area Office Leases of 2022". The Real Deal. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  34. ↑ "TRG appoints a woman as CFO as it works to make leadership team more diverse". Dallas News. 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2024-01-05.


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