SquareTrade Selects Mullen San Francisco as First Advertising Agency-of-Record

Partnership to Help Build First Consumer Brand in Warranty Industry


SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - Mar 19, 2013) - SquareTrade®, the top-rated protection plan trusted by millions of happy customers, has selected Mullen San Francisco as the company's first advertising agency-of-record. The partnership will help build consumer awareness and demand for SquareTrade's protection plans for mobile devices, laptops and tablets, and other consumer electronics and appliances. Mullen is headquartered in Boston and is an independent brand within the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG).

"We love Mullen's strategic and creative thinking as well as their passion for challenger brands," said Ty Shay, CMO at SquareTrade. "Historically we've grown rapidly through word of mouth from happy customers. With Mullen, we're looking forward to breakthrough ideas outside the realm of 'traditional advertising.'"

SquareTrade selected Mullen following a competitive review of agencies. The Mullen San Francisco team includes strategic and creative leaders who have done innovative work for brands like Google, Xbox and Netflix. Mullen's work with progressive brands has earned it accolades as a "Most Innovative Company" and "A-List Agency." 

"We are incredibly proud to add SquareTrade to our SF roster," said Mark Wenneker, Chief Creative Officer at Mullen. "To be working with the company that will be 'the protector' of technology is pretty awesome, especially being right smack dab in the middle of where it's all happening."

"SquareTrade is the recognized innovator in a large and growing market -- a combination that gives it enormous growth potential," said Alex Leikikh, president at Mullen. "It's an exciting opportunity for our new San Francisco team to work side by side with a company that has exceptional momentum, product differentiation and entrepreneurial ambition."

About SquareTrade
SquareTrade is the top-rated protection plan trusted by millions of happy customers for its fast and exceptional service. SquareTrade protects mobile devices, laptops and tablets, and other consumer electronics and appliances from malfunctions, accidental damage and life's frequent mishaps. Unlike old-fashioned warranties, SquareTrade is designed for today's consumer and uses innovative technology to deliver a zero-hassle claims process. SquareTrade has more than 200,000 fans on Facebook, consistently wins industry awards and receives thousands of 5-star reviews for its legendary customer service. Top retailers around the world offer SquareTrade, achieving a 200% increase in sales on average and happier customers. SquareTrade's rapid transformation of the warranty industry attracted one of the largest private capital raises in 2012, with a $238 million round led by Bain Capital and Bain Capital Ventures. Headquartered in San Francisco and London, SquareTrade is privately held. For more information, go to www.squaretrade.com.

About Mullen
Mullen is a "hyperbundled" agency, integrating disciplines from creative to digital marketing, media planning and buying, mobile marketing, public relations and social influence, design, CRM and performance analytics. Mullen specializes in working with thought leader brands, including Google, JetBlue, U.S. Cellular, FAGE, American Greetings, Zappos and iRobot. Mullen has been named to the Advertising Age Agency A-List and as one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies. The agency is headquartered in Boston and is an independent brand within the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG). For more on Mullen, please visit www.mullen.com, twitter.com/mullenunbound or facebook.com/mullenunbound.

Contact Information:

SquareTrade Contact:
Jessica Hoffman
415-541-1000 ext.1063


Mullen Contact:
David Swaebe
617-226-9932