Chicago-based Novus Next transformed from an agency that specialized in newspaper freestanding inserts to a multimedia agency in 2021, working with brands including Lidl grocery, Family Dollar and Dollar Tree.

Novus started 35 years ago in a Minnesota garage focusing on newspaper direct response and has since used hyper-local capabilities and multimedia skills to create new campaigns for local brands. The agency, which calls itself “effective, not slick,” pioneered the use of “localytics,” which focus on “analyzing the geographically based impact of media on business results,” according to Novus.