Marketing firm Sparks opens Royal Oak office to tap automotive talent

Sparks, a national experiential marketing firm headquartered in Philadephia, has opened its eighth office in Royal Oak. Currently, six people work in the office -- two that relocated from other offices -- but Christopher Kappes, the company's executive vice-president of sales, says they are already looking to bring on additional account executive talent.

Sparks "creates experiences for companies," says Kappes, citing examples of trade show exhibits, major corporate events and point-of-purchase displays. He says the company was missing a Midwest presence and chose the Detroit area because of the market's "creative strength." He also notes that the firm would like to tap into the automotive market, but felt they needed a local presence to connect with that industry.

He points out an irony inherent in Sparks' decision to move here. Other marketing companies that work with the automotive industry, he explains, are looking to "tap non-automotive clients," while Spark "wants to tap the automotive industry."

Kappes goes on to say of the area, "Despite the obvious challenges, there are a lot of upsides, a lot of capability -- and a lot of other options. We want to be perceived as an option." On the flip side, he thinks Sparks brings something of value to the area: "a new thinking that hasn't been viewed [in Detroit] before."

Source: Christopher Kappes, Sparks
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh