Print roots. Multimedia future. Adams evolves into “Adams MultiMedia”

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For more than a decade, Adams Publishing Group quietly expanded into one of the largest family-owned media companies in America. With over 30 daily newspapers, more than 100 non-daily publications, and a footprint across 19 states, Adams became a major force in local journalism. But as the media landscape kept shifting, leadership believed it was time to reflect the company’s broader ambitions.

Mark Adams, President and CEO, described the rebranding to Adams MultiMedia as a “pretty methodical” decision, not a reactionary one. “We determined that the time was right,” he said. “I don’t think we were too soon. I don’t think we’re too late. I think we’re just kind of perfect.”

Nick Monico, COO, emphasized that the move simply acknowledges how the company already operates. “What we’ve done in our evolution to Adams MultiMedia is just reflect what our readers and advertisers want from us, which is digital products and services while we continue to fund that future with a focus on print,” he said.

A deliberate transformation

Adams explained that when he founded the company in 2013, he saw peers rapidly pivot to digital, but he wasn’t convinced that pace made sense. “I thought it was too fast,” he said. “I didn’t think our readers and our customers were really quite ready for that.” Instead of charging ahead, Adams and his team watched the industry, learning from successes and failures before making big shifts. “Rather than lead the charge, we observed our peers,” he said. “We really took our time.

Monico also described the transition as measured. “As Mark mentioned, we’ve had a methodical approach to this, and we’ve taken a measured approach watching our peers go at it,” he said. “There is an appetite for digital.” Monico noted that Adams didn’t want to abandon print in the process. “People have a tendency to think that in a small town like Hayward, Wisconsin, there’s not an opportunity for digital, but we’ve proved them wrong,” he said.

Balancing local autonomy and centralized support

One theme that came up repeatedly was the importance of local decision-making. Monico clarified that Adams avoids the word “corporate” altogether. “First, we don’t call it corporate. In our company, we call it home office,” he said. “We think the term corporate has connotations that are negative.”

The company’s structure leaves authority in local hands whenever possible. “Our publishers and regional presidents have all the levers in their control,” Monico said. “We want them on the Rotary organizations, on the Chamber of Commerce boards, on the Economic Development Councils.” Adams echoed that sentiment, describing it as a hybrid model that balances local strengths with centralized services. “Most of the other stuff, like accounting, finance, HR, circulation management, marketing, and IT—we’ve platformed it,” he said. “But the things that really need to be local, we’ve left in place.”

This balance has helped Adams adapt quickly and integrate new properties. “It’s also allowed us to layer on acquisitions really easily,” Adams said. “I think it’s the right structure for this space today.”

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A focus on growth and opportunity

While some observers see diversification mainly as a defense against declining print revenue, Adams framed the rebrand as an offensive move. “I would say that it’s definitely playing some offense, and I would also call it the natural evolution,” he said. “We’ve never played defense. We’ve always tried to be in front of the momentum—but not too far in front.”

Monico agreed that the changes are about preparing for continued relevance. “Multimedia is the name of our sales force, so this name just fits perfectly with what we’re doing,” he said. “Our local audience really enjoys that because they know digital sales are a critical part of what they’re doing right now.”

Both leaders believe that meeting customers where they are—whether in print or digital—will remain central. “The key is having the right product mix, including print, and also being able to message it, communicate it, and of course, close it,” Adams said.

Measuring success

As Adams MultiMedia rolls out the rebrand, the company is setting benchmarks to track performance. Monico pointed to local revenue and digital mix as key indicators. “Some of our KPIs on the digital side are: what percent digital are we selling in our advertising packages?” he said. “We want to make sure that’s a key part of the package because, for us, it’s about audience.”

Adams, meanwhile, said he reviews a broad set of performance metrics weekly. “I look at a million metrics every month,” he said. “We measure our performance weekly, much to the chagrin of our leadership team.”

At the core, the company’s success still comes down to delivering for both readers and advertisers. “If we continue to fuel that marriage, then we will continue to thrive,” Adams said. “Everybody in this company is having a great time and doing great work.”

Monico added that early reactions to the new brand have been enthusiastic. “At the end of the day, it’s been received with open arms from all the people in our organization,” he said.

As Adams MultiMedia moves forward, both leaders see the rebrand not as a departure from the past, but as a natural progression that aligns with how communities consume news and information today.