Agency Explore Minnesota Tourism

Contractor Rise & Shine & Partners (formerly known as Adventure Creative Group)

SWIFT Contract Number 229975

Project Name Agency of Record

Project Number (if applicable) {Empty}

Summarize purpose of the contract, including why it was necessary: Adventure Creative Group is our Agency of Record for paid creative campaigns at Explore Minnesota, as well as our media buying agency. In order to produce the volume of creative as well as place it in media outlets, we need a partner of record to secure quality and on-time executed marketing campaigns.

Project Duration

Start Date Sat, 07/01/2023 - 00:00

Original end date Mon, 06/30/2025 - 00:00

Actual end date Wed, 01/01/2025 - 00:00

Did project finish on time? Yes

Total billable hours utilized (if applicable) {Empty}

Contract Amounts

Original contract: $20000000.00

Amendments $14013155.00

Contract total $34013155.00

Did project finish within budget? Yes

What was the funding source? General Fund + Incentive Fund ($500k) + New Initiatives (Explore Minnesota for Business) EDA funding

Is this a sole source contract? No

If this was a single source contract, explain why the agency determined there was only a single source for the services (if applicable) {Empty}

Evaluator Name Kathryn Sutton

Evaluator Email Address kathryn.sutton@state.mn.us

Evaluate the contractor's timeliness Adventure Creative Group delivered all major deliverables, including campaign creative and media buys, on time.

Evaluate the contractor's quality The quality of the service either met or exceeded expectations. The creative services in particular sometimes exceeded expectations.

Evaluate the contractor's cost The cost of the services conferred was either at market rate, or discounted from market rate with ample in-kind and added value services included.

Evaluate the contractor's overall performance Overall, Adventure Creative Group served Explore Minnesota very well as it ramped up efforts in Tourism, Business, and Film over the course of the last biennium. On January 1, 2025, Adventure Creative Group was bought by local ad agency Rise and Shine and Partners; our contract was amended to reflect this, but the bulk of the scoped services and our team at the agency remained the same.

Would you engage the contractor's services again? Yes

Describe any negative action taken during the duration of this contract (i.e., termination, pursuit of suspension, etc.): {Empty}

Please rate the overall experience with the contractor 4 - satisfied