1981
Marketing Alternatives was founded by Gary J. Stanko as Merchandising Alternatives, Inc. to serve a small group of clients who cater to the commercial A&D community. The company’s main focus was initially structural merchandising design and production.

1985
As Marketing Alterantives’ client roster grew, so did the diversity of services the agency offered. Merchandising became just one of many capabilities and the company name officially changed to Marketing Alternatives, Inc.

1987
Marketing Alternatives launched a breakthrough "store-with-a-store" merchandising concept and complementary retail marketing support program for a major client that ultimately boosted participating retailer sales by an average of 40%.

1990
Marketing Alternatives goes to work for Mannington Mills. The company’s charter is to catapult the flooring giant into the commercial arena and quickly establish the Mannington Commercial brand as a legitimate commercial flooring brand. Within three years, Mannington Commercial was a firmly established player in the commercial flooring market.

1991
Marketing Alternatives acquires McKee Advertising, a full-service agency specializing in home decorative products and an ideal complement to the existing structure. In addition to new staff members and clients, the agency also adds public relations to its service offering.

1995
Marketing Alternatives is named agency-of-record for Wilsonart Flooring. The account win was the result of a long-standing relationship with Wilsonart International and a creative pitch that convinced Wilsonart management that the company was much more than a reliable merchandising partner.

1996
Marketing Alternatives opened the doors to its new contact and fulfillment center operations with three charter clients, six staff members and a vision for the future. One short year later, both clients and staff have nearly tripled.

1997
Wilsonart Flooring takes the #2 position as a laminate flooring manufacturer. The retail dealer database, which is managed by MAI RMG, hits the 10,000 mark. Consumer campaigns are generating more than 200 calls per day and leads are processed and fulfilled within 24 hours.

1998
Marketing Alternatives revamped its contact and fulfillment center software application. The resulting proprietary system is a real-time, Web-based application with an astounding range of flexibility and built-in efficiencies.

1999
Home center giant Lowe's tapped Marketing Alternatives for assistance with its nationwide appliance repair program. This service-dispatch initiative was rolled out nationwide over a 12-week period and included follow-up outbound calls to consumers to ensure customer needs had been met appropriately. Daily call volumes peaked at nearly 800 calls per day.

2000
Superior Coffee (a division of Sara Lee Coffee & Tea) approached Marketing Alternatives with an opportunity to manage its nationwide service-dispatch operations. The second largest coffee company in North America wanted to streamline equipment service, reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction – objectives Marketing Alternatives helped them meet.

2001
Marketing Alternatives completed the build-out of a state-of-the-art 250+ station contact center in Taylorville, Illinois. Simultaneously, the fulfillment center operations were moved to a new location in Crystal Lake, Illinois. The two facilities – along with Marketing Alternatives’ corporate offices – stay connected via the latest technology.

2004
Marketing Alternatives competed for and won the Illinois State Tollway Highway Authority’s contract for managing I-PASS customer care and fulfillment services. During the time Marketing Alternatives was providing these services, I-PASS transponder usage increased by more than 40%.

2006
Marketing Alternatives celebrates its 25 year anniversary by unveiling a new corporate identity and logo.