Like a great story with a beginning, middle and end, successful marketing follows a similar arc — a process that Thoma Thoma, a Little Rock marketing firm, has become expert at through more than two decades. We begin with a discovery process to identify what makes your brand special, then we articulate that foundation, and finally, we communicate what you stand for to the world in a manner that creates interest and action. Each of our client engagements follows this path, and is supported with research and data metrics to make sure your next marketing efforts come together to bring in maximum ROI, insights and a strategic plan, no matter the platform – be it print, digital, or media. Check out our work to see how we’ve helped our clients craft, tell and sell their stories, and the success it has allowed them to achieve.
MEET OUR TEAM
Martin Thoma
Principal
Credentials
Since co-founding Thoma, Martin has leveraged roots in journalism and writing to conceive, develop, and implement a diverse array of projects, ranging from new product initiatives for global technology companies to public information and safety campaigns for state agencies. Martin is the author of Branding Like the Big Boys and a recognized author of articles and white papers on branding, marketing strategy, and communications. Martin loves anything in the water – from swimming to fishing to paddle boarding and snorkeling. He’s an avid gardener, former beekeeper, private pilot, and Spanish speaker (un poquito)!
Melissa Thoma
Principal
Credentials
As a principal and co-founder of Thoma, Melissa has provided strategy and market research leadership on projects for over 25 years – drawing on her long history and experience with both for-profit and nonprofit clients. A brilliant and rapid-fire conceptualizer, Melissa delivers innovative ideas that elevate brand communications for clients in diverse categories including tourism, healthcare, higher education, energy, nonprofit, and financial services. Melissa is a staunch supporter of the arts, with a background in opera and musical theatre. She enjoys running marathons, vegan cookery, and lives for a good book.
Shawn Solloway
Principal & Executive Creative Director
Credentials
For 30+ years, Shawn has been working in the marketing trenches to help clients reach their business goals, grow market share, and build brands that stand out. As founder and owner of EXIT Marketing for 14 years, Shawn developed a uniquely effective social marketing practice in which he and his team helped clients in a wide range of categories develop lead-generating social media programs. He now serves as a Principal and Executive Creative Director at Thoma. Shawn loves music, sports and family time at the lake. He’s not a fan of public speaking, mattress stores or turtlenecks. He and Kristi, his wife of 28 years, have 4 children.
Beverly Hall
Controller
Credentials
Beverly is primarily responsible for managing the agency finances, but she does so much more than that. She allows us to express our right brain creativity while she makes prudent fiscal decisions that ensure the electricity stays on – working harder than us all to ensure that Thoma continues to thrive. Beverly previously worked in international tax and accounting at Alltel Information Services and served the community as a past chair of American Cancer Society Ball. When not at the office, Beverly likes to knit and has recently taken up gardening – although her thumb isn’t all the way green yet.
Adam Whitefield
Account Executive
Credentials
With more than two decades’ experience in integrated marketing, branding, advertising, and project management at some of Arkansas’ largest corporations — including Dillard’s Department Stores, Walmart, and Alltel – Adam has honed his ability to listen intently and respond creatively. His focus at Thoma is keeping projects and programs on track by understanding and integrating our clients’ objectives while providing guidance and strategy. Adam is a self-proclaimed baseball fanatic, coffee snob, award-winning chili cook, and a married father of three.
Mandy Cordell
Art Director
Credentials
Mandy is an extremely talented graphic designer with a passion for telling stories through her work. She graduated from Henderson State University in 2020 with a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, and has since broadened her skill set and produced stunning brand, animation, and videography work for Thoma. Mandy is also a professional photographer, whose work has been featured in the Daytona Museum of Photography in Florida. She is a musician, world traveler, a lover of miniatures, all things comedy, and her 2 cats Ron Swanson and Kuzco.
Micah Sardinha
Digital Media Manager
Credentials
Micah is in charge of managing all social and digital media projects at Thoma. Her contributions to the team include social media management, marketing automation, reputation management, providing design direction, copywriting, and digital media analysis. Micah is eager to help build brands that strengthen our community.
Lola Simmons
Public Relations Associate
Credentials
Lola works develops media strategies and PR deliverables for a variety of clients. She also supports our social media team to develop content, write copy, and pull analytics to advance engagement with our social media clients. She graduated with a degree in public relations at the University of Central Arkansas, where she served as the PR Director of the UCA Chapter of Public Relations Society of America. Lola loves spending her free time traveling and can usually be found hanging around the office with her energetic dog Opie.
Elizabeth Michael
Digital + Social Strategist
Credentials
Armed with an MBA in Marketing from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and extensive certifications in Facebook Blueprint, Google Analytics, and Sprout Social, Elizabeth has built a reputation as the region’s leading social media strategist. She grew the national reputation of her family’s Delta artisanal home-goods business, built an eight-person social media department from the ground up, and built one of Little Rock’s most innovative new watering holes — Bark Bar. Elizabeth loves to travel, and she is an avid deer hunter (what Delta Arkansan isn’t?).