Maryland State Ad Agency

What began as a single campaign to address substance use disorder ended up being an essential part of a messaging campaign that, for the first time in 15 years, helped the State of Maryland flatten the curve of opioid- related deaths.

This successful effort then set the stage for a second campaign for the U.S. Census. For the census effort, MSAA engineered a comprehensive media blitz to get the public to voluntarily fill out U.S. Census forms. With billions of federal dollars at stake for the state, the census campaign delivered results, ranking Maryland among the top seven states in terms of public response.

Now marking its fourth anniversary as a service to agencies and governmental units of the State of Maryland, the Maryland State Ad Agency (MSAA) ran 11 different campaigns in FY23, several returning with new assignments or with ongoing campaigns.

As a division of Maryland Public Television launched in 2019, MSAA and its staff of four full-time professionals welcomed the Maryland departments of Transportation, Education, and Agriculture as well as the State Highway Administration, (a division of the department of Transportation) and the Center for School Safety, an independent agency, for first-time work in FY23. Other returning mainstay clients -- the departments of Health and of Housing and Community Development -- conducted several campaigns each during the 12-month period.

Today, the Maryland State Ad Agency serves 21 clients and their critical communications needs, delivering market intelligence, award-winning creative production, efficient media planning and buying, as well as accurate reporting and guidance.

All told, MSAA’s work in FY23 garnered six prestigious advertising/marketing industry awards and even a regional Emmy Award nomination. More important, all the campaigns together garnered more than 650 million impressions within the Free State, contributing to important civic messaging about such issues as opioids, problem gambling, vaccines, homeowner assistance, foreclosure prevention, Chesapeake Bay health, and veteran benefits.