Aspen Marketing Services

In 1986, long before digital marketing became the giant it is today, Patrick O'Rahilly founded Aspen Marketing Services just outside of Chicago. For 25 years, O'Rahilly, serving as President and CEO, grew the company into the largest privately held marketing services agency in the United States. Aspen built its reputation by providing a comprehensive suite of marketing services, including direct mail, digital campaigns, and advanced analytics, attracting a roster of Fortune 100 clients, particularly in the automotive and telecom industries. The major turning point for Aspen came in 2011. Alliance Data Systems, a large provider of loyalty and marketing solutions, announced that its Epsilon business would acquire Aspen Marketing Services. At the time, O'Rahilly noted that after 25 years in the business, it was a prime opportunity to take the agency to the next level by combining forces with a data and technology powerhouse like Epsilon. The deal was valued at $345 million. The acquisition was a strategic play for Epsilon to significantly bolster its own agency and creative services, filling a key gap in its end-to-end marketing offerings. Following the acquisition, Aspen was integrated into Epsilon, with its 750 employees joining the larger company. This move effectively concluded Aspen's successful 25-year run as an independent marketing leader, marking its transition into a core part of a larger, publicly-traded marketing giant.