Local Action Marketing News October 14, 2025

Local Action Marketing Launches in L.A., Helping Global Organizations and Brands Activate Locally at Upcoming Global Sporting Events

From left to right: Taku Imasaki, Jim Horan, Susanne Guilbert, Ryan J Bowling, Brett Cambria, Chris Besmer, Jason Mayo, Dana Strokovsky, Veronica Besmer, Aileen Kendle, and Anna Johannes, PLY

Agency Packs a Slate of Veteran Global Sports Industry & Marketing Leaders Offering a Full Suite of Services for Clients to Navigate, Standout, and Thrive in LA

Los Angeles, CA (October 14) — Local Action Marketing (LAM), a new global sports marketing agency based in Los Angeles with affiliate members and advisors around the world, today announced its official launch. The agency provides scalable on-the-ground marketing and logistics services, from location scouting, public relations, advertising, video and photography, broadcast and talent resources, graphic design, social media, event production, transportation, and legal support for contracts and compliance with local regulations. 

The agency is led by CEO Ryan J Bowling, who brings nearly three decades of global communications and sports marketing experience. Bowling has held in-house leadership roles at Sony PlayStation, Mars, as a partner at FleishmanHillard, and is currently an entrepreneur working with athletes, startups, major global brands, non-profit organizations, and the government of Switzerland. 

Local Action Marketing brings together a “stunt team” of long-time marketing communication executives and sports business leaders, with experience spanning the world’s biggest sports, entertainment, consumer brands, nonprofits, and government, focusing specifically on upcoming global sporting events in the greater Los Angeles area.

“With numerous global sporting events coming to LA over the next few years, it’s an extraordinary opportunity to tell impactful stories that bring global communities closer together,” said Bowling, a former professional powerboat racer who has worked on marketing activations within NASCAR, the NFL, and Paralympic sports. “However, if you haven’t been to LA or are halfway around the world and want to activate, it can be daunting to know who to talk to, where to begin, and how to stand out. We have assembled an incredibly high-caliber marketing communications team to be a go-to on the ground resource and help international organizations break through LA’s vibrant, sprawling scene by discovering, engaging, and creating local action.”

“Local Action Marketing was built on the belief that sport and storytelling are most powerful when they’re rooted in authentic, local connections,” said Bowling. “Our team has worked at the highest levels of sport and business, and we’re excited to bring that together in one place to serve a wide range of clients. While our focus is SoCal, our reach, capabilities, and expertise are global right from the start.”

With team members spanning the US, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific, Local Action Marketing will focus on sport, lifestyle, and community-driven campaigns centered on inclusion and accessibility for brands, organizations, leagues, and teams looking to activate in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Games.

About Local Action Marketing
Local Action Marketing is a global communications and marketing agency specializing in sports, lifestyle, and locally resonant activations for international organizations at LA’s global sporting events. Based in Los Angeles, Local Action Marketing is powered by a fearless team of elite ex-agency and in-house leaders, successful entrepreneurs, and former athletes who don’t just strategize; they perform their own stunts to help clients discover, engage, and create local action with impact. To learn more, visit localactionmarketing.com. 

Local Action Marketing “Stunt Team Members” have considerable global sports and marketing experience:

USA TEAM

  • Aileen Kendle (USA | Creative Design) – Senior brand designer and art director for various brands, including HP, Intel, Herbalife, and the Swiss Government. 

  • Alana White (USA – Los Angeles | Events & Media) – Led media strategy for the LA28 logo launch, PlayStation, Activision, and major experiential events like the World of Barbie and Call of Duty.

  • Anna Johannes, PLY (USA | Sports Marketing & Disability Inclusion) — 2012 Paralympic bronze medalist swimmer; sport, marketing, and disability consultant; chairs the Disability Inclusion & Adaptive Sports Advocacy Committee at Women’s Sports Foundation and co-chair Disability Inclusion Committee for ADCOLOR. Formerly at Interbrand.

  • Brett Cambria (USA) – award-winning brand creative lead in branding and marketing design for global brands like Barbie, Disney, Hot Wheels, and the Swiss government. 

  • Chris Besmer (USA - Los Angeles | Advisor) - An international business and foreign direct investment expert, as well as a country and regional economic promotion lead who has conducted humanitarian logistics work in Africa and with the IFRC in Geneva.

  • Crystal Yang Edwards (USA – Los Angeles | Action Sports & Events PR) —A decade with ESPN Communications for X Games, espnW, ESPYs; led PR strategy for AVP, Vans US Open of Surfing, and World’s Strongest Man competitions.

  • Dana Strokovsky (USA – Los Angeles | Branding and Content Strategy) — A brand storyteller, current Entrepreneur and part-time Professor at USC Annenberg Grad School, former Head of Social and Digital Content at Apple, Coca-Cola, and McDonald’s, with a strong sports journalism background, working at MLB and ESPN Radio.

  • Derek Daugherty (USA – Los Angeles | Brand & Sports Partnerships) — A seasoned revenue-driving leader with extensive expertise in partnerships and innovative marketing integration strategies across premier sports properties & global brands, including NFL, NASCAR, F1, NBA, MLB, MLS, Mars, Walmart, MillerCoors, FedEx, Disney, Fanatics.

  • Estela Weinmann (USA – Los Angeles | PR) – With agency and in-house comms experience, has led campaigns for brands like Microsoft Xbox, Subway, Starbucks, and Wild Turkey Bourbon. Previously supported brand activations at the Vancouver, London, and Rio Games. Former PR leader at Yahoo!, BetterUp, and Headspace Meditation.

  • Iain McConnell (USA - Los Angeles | USC Marshall School of Business & Student Internships) -  As Associate Director of the USC Marshall MS in Marketing, he leads marketing, recruitment, and community-building efforts, significantly growing the program and fostering future marketing talent. 

  • Jason Mayo (USA – Los Angeles | Business Development) – Led media partnerships for USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and Twitch.

  • Jim Horan (USA – Los Angeles | Brand Partnerships) – Helped premium digital publishers unlock revenue through creative brand partnerships with media properties such as Fast Company, Inc., Hearst, Martini Media, Surface, The Week, Well + Good, WhoSay, Plum TV, TrueCar, Nimble Ads, and Intersection.

  • Michael Guilbert (USA – Los Angeles | Video & Photography) – Produced sports segments at the Today Show and captured Paralympic hopefuls to Hollywood heavyweights Taylor Swift, Steven Spielberg, and Oprah Winfrey, and brands like Activision, The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and Shutterfly.

  • Michael Madnick (USA – Los Angeles | Live Event Production & Experiential Strategy) - Senior global event producer for large-scale activations, immersive brand experiences, and global campaigns across tech, entertainment, and CPG industries for brands including Google, Disney, Intel, Snapchat, 20th Century Fox, Paul Frank, and Power Rangers, with standout events at Comic-Con, SXSW, Sundance, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

  • Rob Penner (USA | Public Relations) - Former head of global sports PR at PUMA and 3x Emmy Award Winner with NBC Olympics as a studio writer with experience at dozens of global sporting events: Olympics, Grand Slams, World Championships and more.

  • Susanne Guilbert (USA – Los Angeles | Video & Photography) – Produced and managed live events for MTV, VH1, and Country Music Television. 

  • Taku Imasaki (USA – Los Angeles | Cross-culture Producer) – Game producer with over 20 years of experience at Sony PlayStation. Instrumental in bringing successful Japanese PlayStation game franchises to the North American market, including the Gran Turismo series, Hot Shots Golf, and many others.

  • Veronica Besmer (USA – Los Angeles) – Multilingual attorney with extensive track record of managing US legal affairs for international organizations, including corporate, IP, international trade, compliance, employment, and litigation. 

OUTSIDE USA - REGIONAL AFFILIATE TEAM

  • Alexandra Foley (UK | US) - A specialist in cross-Atlantic communication who has worked with major clients like Honeywell and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, led global media tours, covered the Titanic expedition as Press Director, and founded Lady Foley Grand Tour for bespoke luxury experiences in the UK and US. 

  • Alexa Jago (UK | US) - Film producer, financier, and actor whose work bridges the UK and US film industries. Produced Kilo Two Bravo (BAFTA award-winner) and has appeared in major films, including Waterworld. Currently on the BAFTA UK Film Committee, Co-Chair HollyShorts U.K., Patron of GIRLS ON FILM, and previously on BAFTA North America board. Advocate for emerging talent, active in causes that support veterans and women. 

  • Ben Cummings (UK | Global Partnerships – Brands & Rights Holders) - Former commercial lead for the British Triathlon Federation and project manager at the International Cricket Council, with experience across Africa, East Asia, Europe, and U.S.

  • Alexis Schäfer (Europe | Germany) - Former Commercial & Marketing Director for the International Paralympic Committee, with extensive international event leadership. Architect of IPC's Worldwide Partnership Program; acting Head of Commercial for European Para Championships; former COO Rhine-Ruhr 2025 World University Games.

  • Judy Zhang (China) – Communications and government affairs executive who has helped global brands navigate China’s landscape with precision, purpose, and impact. Led Corporate Affairs for PepsiCo, 3M, Mars, Colgate-Palmolive, and P&G in China.

  • Mai El-Kinawi (Middle East & North Africa) – A regional expert in purpose-led, culturally grounded strategic communications. She has driven impact and transformation in former roles with Mars Inc., the Saudi Olympic & Paralympic Committee, Unilever, the Americana Group, and Zayed University.

  • Rachel Froggatt (New Zealand & Pacific) – International leader in the women in sport and Paralympic movements; extensive global commercial experience in Formula 1 (Mercedes/Allianz, Ferrari/Shell, Renault/NTT DoCoMo), football (Allianz with FC Bayern and FC Barcelona; and Ford/UEFA Champions League), plus golf, rugby, and cricket.

  • Tumi Masekela (sub-Saharan Africa) – Led corporate affairs for Africa’s leading broadcast network, MultiChoice/SuperSport, and Mars Sub-Saharan Africa. Founded a local swimming academy supporting aspiring athletes and children with special needs.